A new Web site aimed at helping Congressional staffers obtain relevant constituent information in a matter of minutes is available online, thanks to the Census Bureau.

The bureau launched the free site, fastfacts.census.gov, Monday after nearly three months of behind-the-scenes work. With a few clicks of the mouse, users can get 2000 Census data such as population figures or housing and economic characteristics for specific Congressional districts. The site is configured to provide data for 108th Congress district boundaries.

In the past, staffers have had to access this information by CD-ROM or a very intensive Internet search.

“We wanted to make something easy for Congressional staff to use,” said Jefferson Taylor, chief of Congressional affairs for the Census Bureau. “People don’t have time to go through 10 to 15 different links.”

Taylor said the Web site will also be helpful for district offices in Members’ home states.

The search engine allows users to compare data within their own districts and on the state or national level.

Other data is also available on the site, such as state health care information and links to online voting and registration resources.