- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate today confirmed Mary Peters as Secretary for the Department of Transportation by unanimous consent. Peters was previously reported to the Senate by the Commerce Committee by a unanimous vote of 22 to 0. Peters served as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005 and prior to that spent three years directing the Arizona De...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate today unanimously reported out several nominees including those nominated to the Board of Directors for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation. The nominees were approved by the Senate Commerce Committee earlier...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate this week approved the Maritime Administration Improvement Act of 2006 as part of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act which passed the Senate. The Maritime Administration Improvement Act of 2006 (originally introduced as S.3852) exempts Academy graduates who choose to serve on active duty in the armed forces from certain requirements otherwis...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today passed sweeping port security legislation, the Safe Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Act), which represents a groundbreaking bi-partisan agreement among more than eight Congressional Committees and the House of Representatives. The bill will strengthen port security across the nation by establishing innovative programs to enhance the ability...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today approved by unanimous consent S. 3661 sponsored by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), which amends section 29 of the International Air Transportation Competition Act of 1979 relating to air transportation to and from Love Field, Texas. The legislation implements an agreement reached in June by the City of Dallas, the City of Ft. Worth, Southwest Airl...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Science, Transportation Committee today unanimously reported out several nominees including those nominated to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Board of Directors for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Corpora...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Committee today unanimously reported out S. 3718, the Pool and Spa Safety Act, sponsored by Sen. George Allen (R-Va). The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate. S. 3718 would require manufacturers of drain covers to make and distribute only those drain covers that comply with anti-entrapment provisions of the national consensus standard. ...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Committee today unanimously approved S. 2751, the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006, sponsored by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska). The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate. The National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 will create a drought early warning system that would maintain a web-based infor...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Committee today unanimously approved S. 529, a bill to designate a United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and cosponsored by Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.). The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate. The bill designates th...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Committee today unanimously reported out H.R. 3675, the American Spirit Fraud Prevention Act, sponsored by Rep. Charles Bass (R- N.H.). The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate. The American Spirit Fraud Prevention Act would increase the penalties for individuals seeking to commit fraudulent solicitations in violation of federal law duri...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairmen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) today introduced comprehensive pipeline safety legislation. The bill (S.3961) is being co-sponsored by Sens. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). The measure would specifically reauthorize the Pipeline Safety Act for four years starting in 2007. The measure would also...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate this week passed H. Con. Res. 235, a resolution identical to S. Con. Res. 71 which was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee on July 19, 2006. This resolution expresses the Sense of Congress that states should require driver’s license applicants to demonstrate the ability to drive with increased caution near a potentiall...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate today passed the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2006 (S. 3679), which was approved earlier this year by the Commerce Committee. The bill reauthorizes NTSB appropriations for two years ($79.6 million in Fiscal Year ‘07 and $84.4 million in Fiscal Year ’08) and was introduced by Senator Conrad Burns, th...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate Commerce Committee reported out Mary Peters to be Secretary of Transportation in an off-the-floor markup by a unanimous vote of 22 to 0. Peters served as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005 and prior to that spent three years directing the Arizona Department of Transportation. Peters will now be considered by the full Se...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today addressed the Progress and Freedom Foundation to push the Senate to begin consideration of the Commerce Committee passed communications bill. Chairman Stevens: It’s a pleasure for me to introduce Brian Roberts. Brian and his father Ralph have both been leaders in the cable industry and have been p...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) this week received the “Faith and Freedom Award” from the National Religious Broadcasters. Chairman Stevens made the following remarks after accepting the award. Senator Stevens: My great friend Mr. Don Nelson literally drove down here every year, and he would come spend some time with us. But he...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) gave the following statement on the floor today in support of the Communications Bill approved earlier this summer by the Senate Commerce Committee. Chairman Stevens: The Senate Commerce Committee reported to the Senate a bipartisan bill and it is critical that the Senate considers this bill here on the floor....

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission last week issued an order to ensure 128 school districts around the nation will not lose their E-rate funding because of late filed applications. Last week’s order is consistent with a recent order by the full Commission in the "Bishop Perry Middle School" proceeding, which was released May 19, 2006. In the Bishop Perr...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Committee has removed the nomination of Mr. Warren Bell, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, from the Committee’s Thursday agenda. Bell was removed after several members of the Senate Commerce Committee expressed concerns. The nomination hearing is still scheduled for Thursday, September 21, 2006...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce Committee today unanimously reported out the nominations of FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and John Kneuer, nominee to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The nominees were approved following an off-the-floor markup held this morning after the first vote on the Senate floor. The nominees now await consideration by the full Se...

- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens today gave welcoming remarks at the American Association for Airport Executives’ U.S.-China Aviation Summit. Chairman Stevens spoke of his relationship with China which began in World War II, the similar challenges in aviation faced by the U.S. and China, and the importance of working together to meet those challenges. ...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new bipartisan poll released today finds that an overwhelming majority of American voters favor video choice over onerous “Net Neutrality” regulations. Conducted by The Glover Park Group and Public Opinion Strategies LLC, the nation-wide survey of 800 registered voters also finds that 90 percent of Americans believe it is important to have a choice of servic...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today approved comprehensive port security legislation (HR 4954 - The Port Security Improvement Act of 2006) sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Co-Chairmen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) along with members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. “This bill will strengthen and enhance securit...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) tonight filed an amendment to the port security legislation to assist the nation’s first responders and improve interoperability communications. The amendment will provide more than $1 billion for interoperable communications equipment, planning and training. The funds will become available immediately after th...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today adopted a wireless emergency alert system as part of a larger comprehensive port security bill it is debating. The Senate included language from a Commerce Committee approved bill to establish the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN). WARN is a national system for the transmission of public safety alerts across a broad variety of communications tec...

- (Link to audio of speech can be found at bottom of page) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today delivered the following statement as the Senate began consideration of the Port Security Improvement Act of 2006 (HR 4954). Chairman Stevens: As we all know, Monday marks the fifth anniversary of September 11...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Co-Chairmen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) today brought comprehensive port security legislation to the floor of the Senate along with members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. The Port Security Improvement Act of 2006 would strengthen maritime transportation and port security, imp...

- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Fourteen religious and conservative family groups this week have declared their support for the comprehensive communications bill approved by the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this summer. The letter states: “Communicating with our constituencies is of the utmost importance to us and is an invaluable tool as we seek to broaden our message on issues that are...