WASHINGTON – Despite a pending lawsuit and controversy over adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 census, federal officials said Monday they are poised to print millions of forms – with or without the question – by the summer deadline.

Whether the question will be included on the census form is up to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices are scheduled April 23 to hear the Trump administration's appeal of a federal district judge's ruling barring the question from being asked. A ruling is expected by the end of June, possibly leaving the Census Bureau with weeks or even days before the printer is slated to start rolling.

“We have film that will be prepared for our printer for either decision that they make,’’ said Albert Fontenot, associate director for Decennial Census Programs for the Census Bureau. “We say, ‘Run film A or run film B.”

The bureau has a July 1 target deadline to print the questionnaires.

Fontenot said the decision won’t delay planning for the printed forms or the online version, which would simply be switched to ask or don’t ask the question.

“It pulls the right arm of the electronic version,’’ he said. “So we are totally ready - already budgeted, already completed the work necessary to answer even when the decision comes down."

Fontenot said the bureau has built in the time for the contingency plans and “the court is aware of our need for a response … by that time."

The Supreme Court agreed in February to squeeze the blockbuster case on their April calendar, presumably because the decennial census questionnaire is scheduled for printing this summer.

The Justice Department had asked the justices to hear its appeal, sidestepping a federal appeals court because of the tight timetable.

"The effect of the district court’s decision is that the government will be disabled for a decade from obtaining citizenship data through an enumeration of the entire population," Solicitor General Noel Francisco told the high court in his request.

President Donald Trump and other supporters of adding the question said it's long overdue.

"Can you believe that the Radical Left Democrats want to do our new and very important Census Report without the all important Citizenship Question,'' he tweeted Monday. "Report would be meaningless and a waste of the $Billions (ridiculous) that it costs to put together!"

Census Bureau officials held a press conference Monday to outline the bureau’s preparations for the upcoming decennial, including a national ad campaign and partnerships with grassroots groups to conduct outreach in local communities, particularly hard-to-reach communities.

The count of the nation’s population begins April 1, 2020. The population survey is key to apportioning Congressional districts and determining the distribution of federal funds to places like schools, infrastructures and health systems. The information helps determine the distribution $675 billion annually in federal funds.

The bureau is on a mission to compete “the biggest and best census ever,” said Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham.

But the kick-off to the upcoming count comes under a cloud of controversy over the bureau’s decision to add a question about citizenship.

The addition of the question has stirred protests and letter-writing campaigns by civil rights groups and other advocates who argue it could scare off some people and contribute to an undercount, particularly in communities of color. It has also been the subject of congressional hearings, legislation and lawsuits.

On Tuesday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee will vote on whether to subpoena Census Bureau officials about information that led their decision to add the citizenship question.

More:How census citizenship question might spark the House's first subpoenas to AG Barr

Earlier this month, the committee held a hearing questioning Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross about his decision to add the question and any political motivation behind it.

Ross had testified before Congress that his addition of a citizenship question was done "solely" based on a Justice Department request. He said at the recent hearing he conducted intensive research beforehand because he understood Justice might want a citizenship question.

Beyond the citizenship question, civil rights groups and community advocates have also raised concerns about ensuring populations are not undercounted.

Bill Anoatubby, governor of the Chickasaw Nation, said Native Americans were undercounted in the 2010 Census.

He said it’s important “that we as tribes step up” and partner with the Census Bureau to ensure Native Americans are accurately counted. “We will do our part,” he said.

It’s not the first time the Census has faced challenges before or near a roll-out.

During the 2010 count, the agency faced major technology problems with its hand-held electronic devices.

“It was a disaster," Fontenot said. “We were re-planning the census … We are so far ahead of where we were in 2010 just for that reason alone.”

“We are really in good shape compared to 2010,” he said.

Contributing: Alan Gomez