In a nomination hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on January 29, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) questioned Howard Lutnick, nominee to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce in the new Trump Administration, about the census.
“I want to start with the census,” Schatz explained. “The work of the Census Bureau, as you know, is critical to the functioning of our democracy. It’s included in our constitution. Both Article 1, Section 2, and the 14th Amendment require the federal government to conduct an accurate census. The 14th Amendment specifically requires a count of the whole number of persons in each state. So, not a trick question, but just to get you on the record, if confirmed, will you ensure that the work of the Census Bureau is carried out in an apolitical manner?”
Lutnick responded that, “I will hew to the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution rigorously.”
Schatz continued, “Thank you. And will you make sure that the Bureau prepares to implement a census that counts every person?”
Lutnick further responded that, “Since the first sentence of the 14th Amendment, that clause says we will count each whole person, I promise you, we will count each whole person…. That’s what the Constitution says, and we will stick right to it rigorously.”
There were no other references to the census during the hearing, although we expect some census-related questions to be asked for the record.
His nomination is expected to be voted upon by the committee in the first week of February.
In a nomination
hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on January 29, Sen. Brian
Schatz (D-HI) questioned Howard Lutnick, nominee to be Secretary of the
Department of Commerce in the new Trump Administration, about the census.“I want to start with the census,”
Schatz explained. “The work of the Census Bureau, as you know, is critical to
the functioning of our democracy. It’s included in our constitution. Both
Article 1, Section 2, and the 14th Amendment require the federal government to
conduct an accurate census. The 14th Amendment specifically requires a count of
the whole number of persons in each state. So, not a trick question, but just
to get you on the record, if confirmed, will you ensure that the work of the
Census Bureau is carried out in an apolitical manner?”Lutnick responded that, “I will
hew to the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution rigorously.”Schatz continued, “Thank you. And
will you make sure that the Bureau prepares to implement a census that counts
every person?”Lutnick further responded that, “Since
the first sentence of the 14th Amendment, that clause says we will count each
whole person, I promise you, we will count each whole person…. That’s what the
Constitution says, and we will stick right to it rigorously.”There were no other references to
the census during the hearing, although we expect some census-related questions
to be asked for the record.His nomination is expected to be
voted upon by the committee in the first week of February.
