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For Immediate Release
04/14/05
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Subcommittee Chairman Lott Praises Unanimous Commerce Approval of Surface Transportation Act
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, chairman of the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee, predicted today’s approval of the Surface Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2005 by the full Commerce, Transportation and Science Committee “will save countless lives and reduce injuries on the nation’s highways.”
Lott said he hopes the Congress will finalize a conference report on the legislation by the end of May when the current extension expires and in time for states to begin awarding contracts.
During Thursday’s mark up of the bill, Lott, a persistent advocate for its passage in the 108th Congress, lamented that the reauthorization of many of the Department of Transportation’s most important safety programs, including trucking and bus safety, highway and vehicle safety, and hazardous material safety, should have been completed almost two years ago.
“Unfortunately, due to disputes about funding related to the highway construction and transit programs, these programs have simply been extended for short periods of time,” Lott said. “Programs as important as these should not be authorized through a series of stop-gap measures. They should be authorized for multi-year periods so that DOT and the states, which have to administer these programs can do so with certainty about funding and project approvals.”
Lott noted that the bill contains an incentive of $9.2 million in additional federal funds for the State of Mississippi, similar to that offered to other states, if it passes a primary seat belt law.
The bill also includes provisions to protect consumers from fraud in the household goods moving industry, and it reauthorizes boat safety and sport fish programs.
Lott became chairman of the Surface Transportation Subcommittee at the beginning of the 109th Congress, and this bill is the first major legislation to be reported out of that jurisdiction this year.
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28th - |
Senate Approves Several Nominees
- The Senate confirmed the following nominees, reported by the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this week, by unanimous consent.
Phyllis Scheinberg to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer
Joseph Boardman to be Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration
Nancy Nord to be a Member of the Consumer Product Safety Commis...
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27th - |
Senate Commerce Committee Reports Five Nominees Out of Committee
- Senate Commerce Committee Co-Chairmen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) have announced that the Committee today reported out the following nominees enbloc by a vote of 22-0.
· Maria Cino to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation
· Phyllis Scheinberg to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer
· Josep...
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27th - |
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Stevens Comments on NCTA’s Initiative on Parental Controls
- Responding to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s (NCTA) new initiative on cable’s parental controls, Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) credited NCTA President Kyle McSlarrow for trying to bring the industry together.
“I think it is a step in the right direction. It shows they’re thinking about the issues we’ve raised. I agree with...
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21st - |
Lott Wants Amtrak Bill Ready
for Senate Floor Action by Summer
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee, scolded the Bush Administration Thursday for its “stunning” proposal to zero out Amtrak’s operating subsidy and said he expects to have a bipartisan Amtrak remedy ready to go to the Senate floor this summer.
Lott’s statements ca...
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20th - |
Lott to Chair Hearing on Amtrak’s Future
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, chairman of the U.S. Senate Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee, will conduct a hearing Thursday morning on the future of America’s National Railroad Passenger Corporation – Amtrak.
Witnesses will include Jeffrey L. Rosen, General Counsel and Secretary’s Representative to the Amtrak Board; Ken...
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20th - |
Senator Hutchison Promises “Reinvigorated” NASA Subcommittee
- Chairs first Science and Space Subcommittee hearing on International Space Station
WASHINGTON – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), new Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Science and Space, today promised a “reinvigorated” subcommittee as she presided over her first hearing as subcommittee chairman.
“You will see a reinvigorated...
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14th - |
current Press Release |
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14th - |
Commerce Committee Approves Legislation
to Improve Ocean and Coastal Mapping
- WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved by unanimous consent the “Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act” (S. 364), introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and co-sponsored by Senators Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Trent Lott (R-Miss.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Frank Lautenber...
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14th - |
Commerce Committee Approves “Junk Fax Prevention” Bill
- WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved by unanimous consent the “Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005” (S. 714) introduced by Senator Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and co-sponsored by Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), John Sununu (R-N.H.), Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), and Frank Lauten...
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14th - |
Commerce Committee Approves
Transportation Safety Legislation
- WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved by unanimous consent the Surface Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2005, offered by Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee Chairman Trent Lott (R-Miss) and Full Committee Co-Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii).
This legislation includes four titles: Title I - Motor...
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13th - |
Senate Confirms Dr. Michael Griffin to be NASA Administrator
- At the request of Senate Commerce Committee Co-Chairmen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the United States Senate this evening unanimously approved the nomination of Dr. Michael Griffin to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Senators Stevens and Inouye planned to consider the nomination at the Commerce Committees mark-up on Thursday, A...
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Audio Clip | Video Clip
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