Congressman Jose E. Serrano played some Big League politics over the last week.
Serrano lead off with speed – as does any decent batting order – running the Wildlife Conservation Society’s 5k Run at the Bronx Zoo. The event helped raise money for endangered species.
Next up on his agenda, during hearings on financial regulation Serrano, who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on financial services, repeated his opinion on Wall Street whining. Some leaders, like New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, think that heavy regulation will make firms leave, and cost the city untold tax revenue. Serrano said that financial firms were an important part of New York City, but that their concerns should not trump those of everyday citizens – like his South Bronx constituents.
“There will always be a need for Wall Street, wherever Wall Street may be situated,” he said. “But this is where they want to be, and what they bring to New York should not be the excuse we use to let them get away with what they did before.”
On deck for the Congressman in the three-hole was a house bill that would allow Puerto Ricans to reevaluate their status vís a vís the United States. Serrano, who was born in Puerto Rico himself, authored the bill.
The bill would ask Puerto Ricans if they are happy with the status quo, and if not, allow them to vote on statehood, independence, “free association” or staying the way things are. But his longtime teammate, Rep. Nydia Velasquez, broke with him on this bill, saying it was designed to push Puerto Ricans to vote for statehood. But Serrano claims no preference and says that the current status, as a territory –which he says is a euphemism for a colony – is the only one he doesn’t like.
“Today’s vote was a strong display on the part of the U.S. Congress that we would like to hear the opinions of the Puerto Rican people on status, while laying out a process that does not favor one option or another,” said Serrano after the bill passed on Thursday.
And batting cleanup was his effort to fight the recent Arizona immigration law. Passed last week, the law would require immigrants in the state to carry documents on them at all times – or be subject to arrest. Serrano is among many leaders who believe the law will lead to profiling. After all, what does an immigrant look like? How will a police officer know of someone – oh, let’s say a Latino – who says they are not an immigrant and do not have such papers is lying?
“Whether a player is foreign born, or just of an ethnicity that could be targeted by this unconstitutional law, everyone should be scared of a law that empowers law enforcement to arrest people based on looks,” he said.
Serrano pitched the idea of moving the 2011 Major League Baseball All Star Game out of Arizona in a letter to MLB commissioner Bud Selig. Serrano said that the league should pay attention to the matter, because 27% of its players are foreign born.
“MLB has a very loud megaphone,” said Serrano, “and their rejection of Arizona’s action would be an important demonstration to Arizona that we do not tolerate such displays of intolerance in our nation.
The idea is not without precedent either. In the 1990s, the National Football League rescinded an agreement to hold the Superbowl in Phoenix, following protests from players upset that the state still would not recognize Martin Luther King ‘s birthday as a holiday.
Serrano – who’s 16th Congressional District includes Yankee Stadium – is not new to mixing baseball and politics. In 2005, at the hearings on steroid use in baseball, Serrano addressed the speakers – which included Sammy Sosa, and the estranged “bash brothers” Mark McGuire and Jose Canseco:
“For me, baseball is not a game. It’s a passion,” he said. “Without this game, this country is in deep trouble.”