José E. Serrano

I strongly believe in transparency and accountability, and that starts at the top of every government agency, including the Commerce Department.

I think that the Secretary's actions today show a stunning disrespect for the mechanisms of our democracy and the Article I powers of the Congress.

Are you also aware that over 50 percent of our Nation's Black Ph.D. Graduates in the marine and atmospheric sciences benefited from these programs?

Everybody under the American flag should be counted.

We are elected to do a job as appropriations. Not everybody is in the Constitution, our job is in the Constitution.

Unfortunately, a citizenship question will only be tested for the first time this summer with results that will come in too late to mitigate impacts.

Is it a policy of this administration that they do not support minority-owned businesses? Because that is exactly what is reflected in a 75-percent cut to a budget.

These are simply unacceptable reductions.

I am having a hard time taking this budget proposal seriously.

This budget would, in my opinion, halt the early careers of possibly thousands of young scientists.

Bottom line, are these sudden program shifts being made in response to political pressure?

I realize, Director Dillingham, this mess is not entirely your fault.

Your March 24 letter indicated that some actions the Special Counsel investigated as potentially raising obstruction of justice concerns have not been publicly reported; will these actions be identified in the report sent to Congress?

I think you have been upright, you have been an example of integrity, and I know that you are going to abide by the law.

75 percent of our profession is perception and the perception by many is that it is being accelerated so that it can come in and excite the country a few months before a November election.

So, Attorney General, in your testimony you said violent crime has declined since 2016, but as we learned from the FBI, home-grown violent extremism has grown over the same time.

you have no instructions, the Census Bureau, to take citizenship question information and pass it on to the Administration.

I suspect you could do a better job than private industry in putting together an app that could give us information.

Very briefly, my last question. I was part of this committee right after 9/11 and we gave a lot of money to the FBI, and rightfully so, to do what had to be done after 9/11.

Please don't be--I can't believe I am saying this--don't be shy about asking, OK?

We think what you do is important for the future of our country. We want you to do more.

I look forward to reviewing the Mueller report myself, and I know my constituents do as well.

I am deeply concerned that the Bureau remains unprepared for and unwilling to admit culpability in creating this situation.

there is a reason for putting that question there.

This is an individual that could not be terminated, this is an individual that had zero oversight.