Kenneth Prewitt, the census director in the Clinton administration, defended the bureau's decision today, saying that the "data is driving the decision."

Barbara Everitt Bryant, the census director, told Congress this week that "millions" would be added to the preliminary count.

The census director took issue with the Republican letter writers' assertion that "despite criticism, the 1990 census was the most accurate in history."

But Kenneth Prewitt, the census director, speculated that the bureau had done a more thorough job of counting.

"It's a strong 62 percent," said Kenneth W. Prewitt, the census director.

"We don't have an answer for that yet," said Peter Bounpane, assistant to the census director.

As a former census director, she has the professional credentials.

"The shelter people, by and large, were very cooperative," said William Hill, a regional census director in the Southeast.

The census director said research had shown that the questions about household income were the most sensitive.

On a snowy tarmac, the census director exchanged his black wing tips for white insulated boots and was whisked into town by dog sled.