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Pence: Remove Gregg or give him Census
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House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) said Thursday that President Obama should pull his nomination of GOP Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.) as Commerce secretary or give Gregg oversight of the Census Bureau.
Obama nominated Gregg to run the Commerce Department last week, but quickly announced the White House would oversee the Census Bureau, which is under Commerce. The bureau is responsible for collecting data that helps distribute congressional seats to states, among other functions.
"If President Obama doesn't trust Sen. Judd Gregg to oversee a fair and accurate census, he should withdraw the nomination," Pence told reporters gathered at a press conference Thursday morning.
Pence’s comments come as House Republicans ratchet up their complaints over Obama’s plan to place Census under the White House.
Obama made that move to appease lawmakers, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who did not want a conservative Republican in charge of the Census Bureau just as it is doing work that could lead to shifts in congressional seats.