At the start of the 110th Congress in 2007, Congressman Serrano assumed the chairmanship of a newly created Appropriations Subcommittee. He became the first Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.

This Subcommittee has wide ranging jurisdiction and the responsibility for appropriating funding for the Department of the Treasury, the District of Columbia, the Judiciary, the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of Management and Budget, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Election Assistance Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Inspector General, the Federal Election Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the Federal Trade Commission, the General Services Administration, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Morris K. Udall Scholarship, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Special Counsel, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Selective Service System, the Small Business Administration, the United States Postal Service, and the United States Tax Court.

As Chairman, Congressman Serrano is prioritizing consumer issues and providing funding for initiatives that bring our federal government closer to the people. The first appropriations bill that was passed by this Subcommittee during the first session of the 110th Congress was a pro-consumer bill that increased the government’s protection of consumers in significant ways and brought the priorities of the agencies within his jurisdiction closer in line with the needs of the citizens, especially the most disadvantaged. Although this was a difficult funding year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received a 27 percent increase in funding to help keep dangerous products out of the hands of children. The Federal Trade Commission received a 15% increase to help address the problem of identify theft and deceptive lending practices. The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund received a 72 percent increase in order to expand economic development and affordable financial services for distressed communities. The IRS received funding to increase IRS outreach and education services for taxpayers and small businesses, and tax return preparation services at Taxpayer Assistance Centers. Congressman Serrano intends to continue to use his chairmanship to prioritize the providing of real services and assistance to the American people.

Congressman Serrano’s philosophy is that the District of Columbia should be treated with respect. He made sure that the District of Columbia could use its local funds to support needle exchange programs that have proven successful in the fight to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. He removed the longstanding restrictions on the use of local funds by DC leaders in support of voting representation in Congress. He will continue throughout his chairmanship to defer to the wishes of the elected government in the District of Columbia when overseeing their budget.

Congressman Serrano also believes that all United States territories should be accorded respect. Because of this belief, he made sure that quarters with designs from Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District of Columbia would be issued in 2009 to honor and raise awareness of the diverse places that fly the American flag. The agencies under his jurisdiction will be directed to treat the territories with fairness. For example, Puerto Rico is now eligible to receive the same proportionate share of election assistance grants that states receive.

Congressman Serrano is a strong believer in the value of financial education and has funded efforts aimed at elementary and high schools at the Department of the Treasury. He increased the budget at the Securities and Exchange Commission to support investor education and protection. He will continue to look for opportunities to expand upon these educational opportunities.

Congressman Serrano is pleased that he is able to help care for our national heritage though his responsibility for the budget of the National Archives. One of his first actions as Chairman was to restore research hours at the Archives and to expand the workforce of professional archivists. Protecting these historic documents and the important work that is done at the Archives will remain a priority.

Providing small business assistance though programs like a well funded microloan program, and making sure that our federal workers whose jobs are threatened by privatization will have protections and be treated fairly are some other areas where Congressman Serrano will exercise his funding and oversight responsibilities.

As more and more problems are reported about our election system, Congressman Serrano will continue to work hard on behalf of election integrity. He is supportive of funding to assist the States in ensuring accurate and reliable elections.

Congressman Serrano’s philosophy of helping and respecting people will continue to mark and shape the appropriations bills that emerge from the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee during this Chairmanship.