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"Today, the Committee will hear testimony from #SecretaryRoss about preparations for the #2020Census" - Chairman @RepCummings
"The Constitution requires our government to conduct a census every ten years. The Constitution also requires us to count every person."
"The latest Census begins next year, and significant challenges have been raised by the #GAO and others about whether it will be ready."
"Today, we will also examine #SecretaryRoss’ decision to add a new citizenship question after experts at the Census Bureau warned that it “harms the quality of the census count.”
"We have very serious questions about whether #SecretaryRoss was truthful when he appeared before Congress last year and testified on three occasions that he added the citizenship question only because the #DOJ requested it."
"After #SecretaryRoss testified, new documents showed that he was engaged in a secret campaign to add the citizenship question from the very first days after he arrived at the Department of Commerce."
"He was choreographing these efforts behind the scenes, he became impatient when his demands were not being met, and he was working directly with officials at the highest levels of the #TrumpAdministration to force this issue through, including #SteveBannon and #JeffSession"
"These facts are not in dispute. Two judges have already struck down the citizenship question, and they issued stinging decisions finding that #SecretaryRoss violated federal law and the United States Constitution."
"Let me address that pretext directly. #SecretaryRoss and others in the #TrumpAdministration have claimed that adding the citizenship question was necessary to obtain better data to enforce the Voting Rights Act."
"First of all, I do not know anyone who truly believes that the #TrumpAdministration is interested in enhancing the Voting Rights Act. This Administration has done everything in its power to suppress the vote—not to help people exercise their right to vote."
"So, the key question we will ask #SecretaryRoss today is what was he hiding from Congress—what is the real reason the #TrumpAdministration wanted to add this unconstitutional citizenship question?"
"Unfortunately, throughout this entire process, the #TrumpAdministration has obstructed and delayed our investigation. Both the #Commerce and the #DOJ have withheld key documents and refused to answer legitimate questions"
"Now, #SecretaryRoss and I exchanged several letters last week. We accommodated some of his concerns, and he accommodated some of ours. My understanding today is that Secretary Ross will fully answer all of our questions about the census." - Chairman @RepCummings
