Jose Serrano

José Enrique Serrano is a New York  Democrat, currently representing the state's 16th Congressional district, in the United States House of Representatives. Serrano's district is one of the smallest in the country geographically consisting of a few miles of the heavily urbanized and populated South Bronx in New York City. His district is also one of the most densely populated and one of the few majority Hispanic districts in the country.

Iraq War
Serrano voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Support for gun control
In 1991, Serrano cosponsored HR 3104, which sought "To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the importation and the manufacture of firearms designed to accept a silencer, bayonet, grenade launcher, flash suppressor, or folding stock, of certain ammunition feeding devices, and of related devices, and to provide for the imposition of enhanced penalties for the possession or the use of any such item in a crime of violence or in a drug trafficking crime."

FY2008 budget
On June 28, 2007, the House passed the Financial services appropriations bill (H.R.2829) in a vote of 240 to 179. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Serrano, aimed to improve consumer protections, investment and government contracting oversight. Financial literacy would be bolstered and financial services in under-served populations and communities would be improved. It appropriated $21.434 billion for these purposes. The department of Treasury and the Executive Office of the President were funded in this bill. The bill also brought to light numerous agencies and commissions that occasionally rose to recognition in the media from time to time, while carrying out a great amount of U.S. business, regulating commerce and investments and other activities ongoing daily in society. Although it is not evident in the bill, procedural moves effectively approved a pay raise for Members. The new salary was estimated around $169,000 yearly.

Background
Serrano was born October 24, 1943 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. At a young age, Serrano moved to The Bronx. He served in the United States Army from 1964 to 1966. His son, Jose M. Serrano is a member of the New York State Senate.

Congressional Career
Serrano was elected to the New York state Assembly in 1974 as a Democrat, where he served as chairman of the Consumer Affairs Committee and, subsequently, the Education Committee.

Positions and Views
In 1990, Serrano won a special election for a vacated House of Representatives seat and has thereafter been reelected by mostly 90 percent-plus margins in what is considered one of the safest seats in Congress. Serrano is an advocate of ending the trade embargo on Cuba and for 'English Plus' which would encourage Americans to become bilingual. He has consistently supported initiatives to resolve Puerto Rico's political status problem, including the 1998 Young bill, which he coauthored, and the Dec. 22, 2005 report of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status, which recommends that Congress provide in 2006 an opportunity for residents in Puerto Rico to vote for or against its current status, which the report describes as an unincorporated US territory and Serrano describes as a US colony.

In 2005, Serrano introduced a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as president. It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

A member of the Progressive Caucus, he is widely regarded as one the most liberal members of Congress. On November 18, 2005 he was one of three votes in favor of immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. The other two votes were from Cynthia McKinney of Georgia and Robert Wexler of Florida.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated Ali Mohamed to face Serrano in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Serrano retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Water
 * Subcommittee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Homeland Security

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Homeland Security
 * Subcommittee on Science State Justice and Commerce and Related Agencies

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Executive Committee, Albanian Issues Caucus
 * Executive Board, Congressional Arts Caucus
 * Congressional Black Caucus
 * Congressional Children's Working Group
 * Congressional Diabetes Caucus
 * Congressional Fire Services Caucus
 * Congressional Hispanic Caucus
 * Congressional Human Rights Caucus
 * Congressional Narcotics Abuse and Control Caucus
 * Congressional Older Americans Caucus
 * Congressional Progressive Caucus
 * Congressional Urban Caucus
 * Vice Chair, Democratic Steering Committee

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Rep. Jose Serrano: One of Three Congressmembers to Vote for Immediate U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Iraq
 * Gur, "The Phattest Bubble You've Ever Seen?", Room Eight, May 12, 2006.
 * Gur, "What Part Of "You Will Pimp My Pay to $168K" Did You Not Understand?", Room Eight, June 30, 2006.
 * Congressional Wire, "Earth to Congress - Come In!", Room Eight, July 11, 2006.
 * Gur, "Why Bother?", Room Eight, July 12, 2006.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Simply Left Behind

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