Barbara Lee: “Let me thank my colleague and friend from northern California, next door to my district, for offering this amendment and…”

“Let me thank my colleague and friend from northern California, next door to my district, for offering this amendment and for his tremendous leadership on so many issues relating to our working men and women. Mr. Chairman, I am concerned that a decade of flat funding has left BLS in critical condition, which is why the underlying bill increases funding for BLS by $61 million over the 2019 enacted level. This investment will make up for the loss of purchasing power and help BLS take full advantage of advances in statistical methods to promote the high-quality statistics required for a thriving 21st century economy. Expanded capacity will allow BLS to better examine critical issues such as job loss due to automation, job loss due to contracting, and mass layoffs. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate this amendment. It has drawn more attention to the importance of BLS, and I am happy to support it. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Chairman, I ask for the House's support. I think it has been said over and over again that information is power. In this instance, this gives us the power to protect and anticipate challenges to the American workforce. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully ask for support for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier). The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes appeared to have it.”