Bob Menendez: “Mr. Chairman, the Patent and Trademark Office is important and worthy of support, but not by cutting the Census. The…”

“Mr. Chairman, the Patent and Trademark Office is important and worthy of support, but not by cutting the Census. The goal is worthy, but the method is not. Now, there is no question that Democrats and Republicans have had some very fundamental differences over the decennial census; but today many of us, on both sides of the aisle, are joining together saying that there can be no further cuts to the Census. I believe we must ensure the most accurate census possible, and I have fought very hard to make that a reality in the 2000 census. Others, on the other hand, have fought an accurate census every step of the way. Minorities, particularly Hispanics, have been disproportionately undercounted in the past, and I do not think this government should allow that to continue. Everyone deserves to be counted, every community deserves adequate and fair resources for its residents, and every American resident deserves full and fair representation. We have come a long way toward meeting these goals, and we are working hard to achieve the most accurate decennial census in recent history, despite strong opposition from various quarters at every step in the process. Today is apparently no different. We again face an unreasonable assault on the Census Bureau, which is the source of more, much more than just the decennial census figures.”