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Press Releases |
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Stevens, Inouye Comment on Progress on Ocean Issues
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WASHINGTON, DC – In response to concerns raised in the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative’s report card released Friday regarding progress on ocean issues, U.S. Senators Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, commented on the Commission’s scrutiny and expressed their shared commitment to improve America’s ocean policies.
In the first session of the 109th Congress, the Senate has approved 6 Commerce Committee bills on ocean policies, and the Committee has approved another 4 that are awaiting Senate consideration. While work remains, the two leaders are optimistic that Congress, the Administration, and the Commission can do more to speed the pace of conclusive, legislative progress in the 2nd Session.
"The Commerce Committee has accomplished a tremendous amount of work on ocean policy legislation in the first year of Dan's and my Co-Chairmanship, passing 10 different bipartisan bills implementing many of the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, including a reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. We continue to work toward seeing these bills become law this year," said Committee Chairman Ted Stevens.
Co-Chairman Inouye commented, “We share the Commission’s dedication to keeping national attention on oceans, and we are disappointed that not everyone shares this goal right now. In particular, I am dismayed that oceans are entirely ignored in the President's new science initiative. I am proud of the progress this Committee has made, starting with the legislation in 2000 that created the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Yet without like-minded partners, we cannot fully succeed. We must continue to remind everyone that oceans sustain the life of all Americans, wherever they live. We will not give up our stalwart effort to make oceans a priority, and we hope others will join us this year.”
Senate Commerce Committee Progress on Ocean Policy in 2005
(1) Action on Ocean Bills
- S. 362 Marine Debris – Passed Senate, Partial action by one House Committee
- S. 1390 Coral Reefs – Passed Senate, No Action in the House
- S. 39 Ocean Exploration – Passed Senate, No Action in the House
- S. 361 Ocean and Coastal Observations – Passed Senate, No Action in the House
- S. 50 Tsunami/Coastal Hazards Preparedness – Passed Senate, No Action in House
- S. 1280 Vessel/Oil Pollution provisions in Coast Guard bill passed and in conference
- S. 364 Coordinated Ocean Mapping – Committee Reported
- S. 360 CZMA – Committee Reported
- S. 363 Ballast Water – Committee Reported
- S. 2012 Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act – Committee approved
- S. 1215 Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Act – Introduced, Committee hearing to be held 2/8/06
- S. 1195, Offshore Aquaculture – Introduced, hearing planned for March
(2) Committee Subcommittee Structure – Better Ocean and Coastal Oversight
- Re-instituted the National Ocean Policy Study
- Coast Guard and Fisheries Subcommittee
- Established a Disaster Prediction and Prevention Subcommittee
- Established Global Climate Change Subcommittee
(3) Offshore Ocean Governance
- Senators Stevens and Inouye introduced the Administration’s Offshore Aquaculture bill (S. 1195); Hearing planned for March
- NOPS is planning hearing on offshore permitting/governance this year
(4) International Leadership
- S. 2012, Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization bill, title IV, contains groundbreaking provisions to ensure international compliance to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing on the high seas, as well as to reduce bycatch of protected species in high seas fisheries. Title V, VI contain implementing legislation for two treaties recently ratified by the Foreign Relations Committee (Western Pacific Tuna and Whiting)
- Senator Stevens, Inouye, and Lugar wrote multiple letters encouraging ratification of the U.N. Law of the Sea treaty.
- Senator Stevens testified before the Foreign Relations and EPW Committees in favor of the ratification of the U.N. Law of the Sea treaty.
(5) Fisheries Management Reform
- The Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act (S. 2012) addresses virtually all the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy
(6) New Funding for Ocean Policy and Programs
- The Magnuson bill contains a new Fisheries Conservation and Management Fund
- Portions of the Senate Budget bill contained $50 million for Tsunami programs – the Tsunami bill provides the appropriate authorizations
- NOTE: The Administration “Ocean Action Plan” priorities are not funded by the Administration, including areas that the Commerce Committee has acted on, i.e., Oceans and Human Health, Marine Debris, Observing Systems, etc.
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18th - |
Senator Hutchison Calls for Improved Bus Safety Standards
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today called for improved safety of over-the-road buses and enhanced National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations governing bus safety during a Senate Surface Transportation Subco...
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18th - |
Commerce Committee Announces Witnesses for DTV Transition Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces the witnesses for the Full Committee hearing on Oversight of the DTV Transition: Countdown to February 2009, scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. The full witness list is below.
With February 17, 2009 less than five months away, the Committee will assess the Federal Communication...
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18th - |
Commerce Committee Announces Witnesses for U.S.-Korea Automobile Trade Imbalance Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces the witnesses for the upcoming Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism Subcommittee hearing on The Imbalance in U.S.-Korea Automobile Trade, scheduled for September 24, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. A full witness list is below.
The hearing will examine the reasons for the imbalance in U.S.-Korea bilateral ...
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17th - |
Commerce Committee to Examine Consumer Privacy Issues Related to Broadband Service Providers
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Full Committee hearing on Broadband Providers and Consumer Privacy, scheduled for Thursday, September 25, 2008, at 10:00 a.m.
The Committee will examine broadband provider practices with respect to consumer privacy.
Broadband Providers and Consumer PrivacyFull CommitteeDate: Thursday, Septemb...
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16th - |
Senator Hutchison Commends Dept. of Commerce for Helping Nursing Homes with DTV Converter Box Program
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) today commended the U.S. Department of Commerce and Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez for allowing residents with post office boxes and those living in nursing homes to participate in the digital television (DTV) converter box coupon program. Previously, only residents with physical addresses could participate. This meant that those who ...
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16th - |
Inouye Calls for Immediate Passage of S.1492, the Broadband Data Improvement Act
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) delivered the following statement at today’s hearing on why broadband matters.
“In our hearing today we explore why broadband matters. Broadband matters because broadband communications have become the great economic engine of our time. Broadband deployment drives opportunities for business, education, ...
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16th - |
Commerce Committee Announces Witnesses for Bus Safety Hearing
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12th - |
Commerce Committee to Hear Testimony from Corporation for Public Broadcasting Nominees
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12th - |
Commerce Committee to Review Progress of DTV Transition with FCC, NTIA
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12th - |
Commerce Committee Announces Witnesses for Hearing on Consumer Benefits of Broadband
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11th - |
Commerce Committee Releases MARAD Bill Financial Disclosure Certification
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today filed its report on S. 2997, the Maritime Administration Act for Fiscal Year 2009. In accordance with Senate Rule XLIV, the Committee provides the attached financial disclosure certification.
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11th - |
Commerce Committee Cancels Hearing to Examine Marine Protected Areas
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10th - |
Senator Hutchison Cosponsors Calling Card Legislation to Help Consumers
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today signed on as a cosponsor to legislation that would assist consumers with pre-paid calling cards and ensure that fees and terms are easier to understand. The bill, S. 2998, would require pre-paid calling card providers and distributors to disclose the numbe...
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9th - |
Commerce Committee to Hold Hearing on Consumer Benefits of Broadband
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8th - |
Commerce Committee to Examine Marine Protected Areas
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8th - |
Commerce Committee Announces Witnesses for Prepaid Calling Card Hearing
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