Secretary Ross’ Refusal to Testify is a Dereliction of Duty

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shin Inouye, [email protected], 202.869.0398

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ unexplained refusal to appear before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science next week:

“Secretary Ross’ unexplained refusal to appear before Senate appropriators is highly unusual and raises the question, ‘What do he and the administration have to hide?’ He has already misled Congress and given deceptive statements about his decision to add an untested citizenship question to the 2020 Census. By shirking his responsibility to appear before the Senate, he misses a critical opportunity to advocate for sufficient resources to ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census. We urge him to reconsider, and for Congress to provide timely, predictable, and sufficient funding for the nation’s largest civic mobilization.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.