The Serrano Report, Vol. X, #8

On Capitol Hill

Serrano Participates in Immigration Rally

On Wednesday, thousands of people rallied in front of the Capitol in support of comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the United States. Congressman Serrano, along with other members of Congress, attended the rally to show their support for immigration reform.

"The number of people who were out on the Mall today shows how important this issue is," said Serrano after the rally. "We need to strengthen our communities by providing a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in this country. These people have ties here, they have family members who are US citizens, and they are making positive contributions to our communities. That is why we must take action to allow them to stay here. I hope that the House and the Senate can come together and find a positive resolution to this issue, so we can help millions of hard-working Americans come out of the shadows."

Serrano talking to some young participants at the rally

see more images from the rally

Serrano Reacts to President's Budget

After reviewing the outlines of the President’s budget proposal for 2014, which was released on Wednesday, Congressman Serrano noted the many positive proposals it contained, while criticizing several negative aspects of the budget.

“Generally this is a very good budget, with its focus on job creation, education and investments for the future economic health of our nation,” said Congressman Serrano. “Of course, I cannot support any plan to cut Social Security benefits, especially with so many seniors relying on them as a mainstay of their financial lives.”

“It always is important to compare this budget to the one that House Republicans proposed, which had draconian slashes to the government across a variety of programs all in order to preserve low taxes for the wealthy. The contrast couldn’t be clearer, and the wisdom of the President’s approach couldn’t be more reasonable.

“Of the agencies and departments whose budgets come under the purview of my subcommittee, the President has proposed important investments which will ensure that our government is responsive to the needs of all Americans. I am particularly pleased that the President proposes a $1.6 billion increase for the Internal Revenue Service, which has long proven that for every dollar invested, the government gets at least four dollars in increased tax revenue.

"I also support the President's requested increase for the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The proposed funding level of $1.674 billion will help the agency can remain vigilant in its efforts to prevent a repeat of the last financial meltdown, and will ensure the SEC can fully implement their responsibilities under the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform bill.

“I also think it is very smart to increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which has lost significant funding in past years, despite the increase in the number of eligible clients due to  the recession. The president asks to increase their budget by more than $80 million, which would allow them to help many more people than they currently do.  The President's budget also requests the removal of several restrictions on how the LSC uses funds from non-federal sources.  These restrictions continue to tie the hands of local legal aid providers in ways that simply do not make sense.

“I also am gratified to see that on a broad scale, the President is proposing infrastructure investments. Like him, I believe that these projects have a two-fold benefit. They create jobs and stimulate the economy in the short term, and strengthen our nation’s infrastructure for decades to come. They are very wise use of taxpayer dollars.”

“Tucked into this budget proposal is an item that is very near and dear to my heart. The President has proposed $2.5 million for the Justice Department to conduct ‘objective, nonpartisan voter education’ and a federally-sponsored vote on ‘options that would resolve Puerto Rico’s future political status.’ I think this is a deeply important move towards ending Puerto Rico’s colonial status once and for all.

“Finally, I am glad to see that the President has not backed down on his belief that the wealthy should not enjoy tax breaks and loopholes not available to working people. I think there should be no debate on this premise—it’s about fairness. I think with the moral imperative that everyone must pay their fair share, and the deficit reduction that such moves would enable, we should not have to debate the wisdom of this proposal and should move on it right away.”

Serrano Questions IRS Commissioner about Sequester

At an oversight hearing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Tuesday, Congressman Serrano questioned Acting Commissioner Steven Miller about the impact of the sequester, immigration reform, and a number of other issues.  Serrano is the lead Democrat on the appropriations subcommittee that held the hearing.  

"The IRS budget has been cut by nearly $1 billion since fiscal year 2010," said Congressman Serrano.  "That is not a sustainable path, and we are simply increasing our deficit when we do not give the IRS the resources to help answers the questions of taxpayers who are trying to do the right thing, and to go after those bad actors who are attempting to avoid their responsibilities."

The IRS Commissioner stated that because of budget cuts, there will be billions of dollars in tax revenue that is owed to the United States that the IRS cannot collect.  He also suggested that while most Americans want to pay the taxes they owe, a lack of funding will encourage more people to think they can get away with cheating the system.  The sequester has exacerbated this situation, and will require the IRS to furlough employees, further reducing productivity.

"The IRS collects the vast majority of our nation's revenue that is, the very dollars that are used to fund the rest of our government," stated Serrano.  "We need to make sure they have the resources to do their job.  Unfortunately, under the sequester, there will be a serious degradation of services."

Serrano Questions Park Service Commissioner

At a budget hearing on Friday, Congressman Serrano questioned Jonathan Jarvis, the Director of the National Park Service about his agency’s plans for 2014. Serrano asked questions about the NPS plans to rebuild in a more sustainable way after Superstorm Sandy and about urban park programs.

“I am pleased with the steps that the NPS is taking to rebuild and reopen parks like the Statue of Liberty which were damaged in Superstorm Sandy," said Serrano. "Around the country National Parks are key treasures for our nation—and deserve the care and respect that comes with that status.”

Serrano with Director Jarvis after the hearing

In the Bronx

Serrano Joins FEMA to Spread Hurricane Recovery Information

Last week, Congressman Serrano and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) came together at the Bronx YMCA to hold an informational session about the various disaster relief options available to constituents. The event, hosted by Congressman Serrano, included speakers from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, and the New York City Department of Buildings, and provided detailed information on recovery and preparedness. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet individually with FEMA Specialists to discuss case-specific questions.

“While our community was not devastated in the way others throughout the city were, we still need to make sure everyone is aware of the options available to them if they did experience damage from the storm,” said Serrano. “It is important to ensure that the Bronx community is informed and prepared in a way that will allow it to survive if another major storm were to hit.”

Grant

Refugee Microenterprise Development Grant

Deadline: June 10, 2013

The Office of Refugee Resettlement recently announced the availability of funds under the Refugee Microenterprise Development Project to help refugees become economically self-sufficient by starting and maintaining small businesses. Successful applications should include plans to provide seed money and to help organizations serve refugee populations. State and local governments, institutions of higher education, and other non-profits are all encouraged to apply.

Please visit the Department of Health & Human Services website for more information

For more information about other federal grants please visit grants.gov.