Actually, it appears he is just being kind to Mr. Gregg - since the Census is under the jurisdiction of the Commerce Department.

According to the NY Times (2/4/09),
Mr. Gregg was never a friend of the census. As chairman of the Senate committee that oversees the Commerce Department’s budget, he frequently tried to cut the bureau’s financing. In 1999, he opposed emergency funds for the 2000 census requested by President Bill Clinton and the Republican-controlled House.