José E. Serrano

Among the many NOAA programs the administration wants to eliminate are the National Sea Grant Program and the Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions.

The addition of a citizenship question to the decennial census without justification or testing is deeply troubling.

It took such a long time for things to get going. And some of the excuses they were giving was that Puerto Rico was an island.

I cannot support this administration's budget request for NOAA, as it represents a clear abdication of the agency's core mission.

I hope we don't because, you know, more and more we are finding countries throughout the world that disagree with us.

Both you and other officials in the Trump administration have spoken of the need for strong enforcement of our trade laws.

I hope so because more than ever now we need the National Weather Service to be able to function as modern as possible, if there is such a phrase.

So if at the minimum I want to tie my sentiments to the Chairman in saying that we need to see that money go out.

We want to see that--there is still a large percentage or a significant percentage of people without lights.

I don't think the census should be used to create more division, more fear, more hiding from people who should come forward and be counted.

I appreciate all that you are doing to make this census a better census than any other before.

The Constitution is pretty clear to me, even though I am not a lawyer, it says count the people within the states, not the citizens.

I was very disappointed to see yesterday that the Republican party campaign to reelect the President put out an appalling email specifically noting that the President wants a new citizenship question added to the census.

But we are worried, very worried on this side about the census asking questions that will undermine the count rather than build the count up to where it should be.

Including such a question would drive response rates down in minority and immigrant communities, increasing costs and harming accuracy.

I am also deeply troubled about a highly political request that the Department of Justice made to the Department last December, asking the Bureau to add a question on citizenship status to the form.

Every time we cut an agent, we lose money, money that could be collected.

I hope that we can work together on saving the program and helping it grow, honestly.

I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, with all due respect, to make sure that that does not happen.

I hope they don't make a mistake when they tinker with the Jones Act.

I am also deeply troubled that the administration's request in response to the largest housing disaster in the history of the country contains no funds for housing.

I am deeply concerned that these restrictions will effectively eliminate Puerto Rico from receipt of any of these funds.

I would note that I believe the administration's request to be inadequate in this regard.

Prioritizing the livelihood, health, and safety of the 3.4 million American citizens dealing with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Irma and Maria remains one of my top concerns.

Nobody in Houston wants this project.