During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing prior to the Congressional recess, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) questioned Pierre Gentin, nominee to be General Counsel of the Department of Commerce, about the shuttering of the Minority Business Development Agency.
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00:00Delaware, Delaware, first state and closer. So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Two of the
00:08nominees today, if confirmed, will have a significant impact on freight and passenger
00:13rail development in the United States, which are vital to our economy. A few, if any, rail
00:21corridors are as important as the Northeast Corridor, which includes Delaware and the
00:26mid-Atlantic region. Any disruptions to these services would not only impact
00:31people, but it would cost millions of dollars a day. But before I get to
00:36addressing the future of rail travel in the United States, Mr. Genton, I need to
00:42address an issue that we've been experiencing with the Department of
00:46Commerce. Since February, you have been Secretary Lutnik's senior advisor, is that
00:52correct? Since mid-February, yes, correct, Senator. As you may know, Secretary Lutnik
00:58told me directly when he was here having his hearing for his confirmation earlier
01:05this year that he would not dismantle the Minority Business Development Agency and
01:11turn back the clock of progress, bipartisan progress, from many presidents before him
01:20supporting these businesses. My colleagues and I have sent multiple letters seeking answers
01:27about the reversal of his promise to protect the agency and dismantle it. Our first letter
01:34was March 24th, then another letter on April 17th, and most recently we sent a letter on April
01:4030th, less than two weeks ago. And we've since not received any kind of meaningful response.
01:46So I'd like to know, is Secretary Lutnik aware of our letters about dismantling the MBDA?
01:54Senator, I'm not aware of those letters, and I don't know what Secretary Lutnik knows about those
01:59letters. So again, you've been his senior advisor since February. I just want to confirm that.
02:05I have been one of his senior advisors, Senator, which is a role...
02:09Thank you. Thank you. That's the question. Remind me, did you attend Paul Dauber's confirmation
02:16hearing to be Deputy Secretary?
02:18Yes, Senator, I did attend that hearing.
02:21Do you recall many members, just like today, raise these exact letters, our serious concerns
02:28about what's happening at MBDA? Do you remember that?
02:32I recall the topic of MBDA coming up at the Deputy Secretary nominee's hearing. Yes.
02:40So I know you've said you've got a different role. Did you not feel this was important even
02:46for this hearing, just even in preparation for this hearing, because it's come up before
02:51to even mention it to the Secretary?
02:55Senator, I'm very well aware of the importance of this topic to you and to other members of
03:01the committee. My understanding is that this matter is in litigation.
03:06So it's my understanding that because of 21 attorneys generals fighting it, that it has
03:13been halted by a judge. But have you participated in any meeting, have any communication, anything
03:20regarding the letters at all?
03:22No, I have not, Senator.
03:23Okay. We sent these letters in the past two weeks. And so it's hard for me to think that
03:29this is not something you would have prepared for for this hearing. I assume you don't know
03:34of any plans to even answer the letters. And I would assume that you would say, as you said
03:40before, you might prioritize it. Who do we need to contact at the agency to get an answer
03:48to these letters?
03:50Senator, I will, coming out of this hearing, certainly go back to the Department of Commerce
03:54and try to follow up and try to get those letters.
03:57So since you're the third person, my concern is, I don't like to use the term gaslighting,
04:02but that's what it's kind of feel lighting like. We just need some answers to what is the priority.
04:08The secretary said it was a priority. Past presidents have said it was a priority going all the way to
04:14Richard Nixon. So I hope that we can get an answer on that. And I'd like to switch gears right now
04:18to Amtrak and our stations in Delaware. This is a vital area for us. Our stations, our training
04:28facilities, the operation centers, the maintenance shops, services to Delaware alone have a combined
04:35yearly ridership of over 650,000 passengers and growing. Amtrak also directly employs over 1,300
04:44Delawareans. Last week, we learned that Amtrak will be cutting about 450 management positions.
04:51Given the mass layoffs and reduction of force, I'd like to ask Mr. Gleason, what is your plan
05:00for being able to deal with expanding ridership at the time when we're shrinking the number
05:05of folks working there?
05:07Well, since I'm not on the board now, I don't know anything about that. But I mean, certainly
05:12Delaware has been wonderful as far as pasture rail is concerned. So I would hope that that
05:17would continue.
05:18I would hope, if yield me two seconds, that I would have your commitment for a full transparency
05:24on the positions, the rationale, and any impacts to service that this might have on our constituents.
05:32I am all for government efficiency. I believe in it. But we don't make things more efficient
05:38by breaking them. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I yield back.
05:41Well, thank you. And you're ranking