José E. Serrano: “The amendment, if adopted, would pose serious risks to our economic and national security. It would undermine our…”

“The amendment, if adopted, would pose serious risks to our economic and national security. It would undermine our efforts to help create jobs, address the deadly opioid crisis, and increase critical scientific research and legal services for underserved communities. A 14 percent decrease would, for the Department of Commerce, close over 30 foreign commercial service posts and 10 domestic field offices and lead to the dismissal of hundreds of Commerce personnel who support and create U.S. jobs by leveling the playing field for U.S. businesses in overseas markets; cut over $1 billion from the U.S. Census Bureau, which undermines the Census Bureau's ability to invest in critical information technology infrastructure to safeguard Census data as it moves to an online platform; and limit Census' flexibility to conduct important outreach and follow-up activities in hard-to-count communities, including rural parts of the country. This amendment would also cause massive cuts in an array of agencies and programs critical to national security, anticrime efforts, and the constitutionally required 2020 Census. It would slash funding for efforts to create jobs, fix aging infrastructure, and respond to the reality of climate change. I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.”