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For Immediate Release
07/15/09
Contact: |
Joe Brenckle - Republican Press Office 202-224-3991
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Senator Hutchison Pushes to Allow Prisons to Block Inmate Cell Phone Calls
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today during a Commerce Committee hearing pushed to allow prisons to block calls from smuggled inmate cellular phones. Senator Hutchison earlier this year introduced bipartisan legislation, the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009 (S. 251), that would prevent prison inmates from using smuggled cellular phones by allowing states to petition to operate wireless jamming devices in particular correctional facilities.
“We are seeing a dramatic rise in the number of ongoing criminal enterprises orchestrated from prison via cell phones including drug trafficking, credit card fraud, and identity theft,” said Senator Hutchison. “A single phone can be shared among numerous inmates, and just a few phones inside a prison can lead to coordinated attacks on guards and facilitate escape attempts. Cell phones have also been used to carry out threats and brutal attacks against the public. When a single call can result in someone’s death, we have an obligation to exhaust every technology at our disposal.”
Senator Hutchison noted one of the witnesses testifying at today’s hearing, Texas State Senator John Whitmire, was threatened by a death row inmate who used a smuggled cell phone to make threatening calls. The smuggled phone was later found, but officers found eleven additional phones belonging to other death row inmates while looking for it. In 2008, corrections systems across the country reported large numbers of confiscated phones. California reported nearly 3,000 phones found with inmates, while Mississippi had nearly 2,000. The Federal Bureau of prisons reports they confiscated more than 1,600 phones during 2008.
Senator Hutchison’s bill preserves the general prohibition against intentional interference with wireless communications, but creates a process for correctional facilities to seek a waiver from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate a wireless jamming device. The bill does not grant this authority outright, instead it directs the FCC to conduct a robust rulemaking in which it considers whether it is in the public interest to allow limited waivers, and under what circumstances. The Commission will also be directed to conduct a device approval process that ensures that devices operate with the lowest possible power output and include other interference mitigating measures. Each correctional facility would then have to apply individually for the ability to deploy jamming technology. Even after a waiver is granted, there are protections against interference outside of a prison. Equipment must be immediately disengaged while the FCC investigates upon receiving an allegation of interference.
“Just one call that slips through and leads to another death is not acceptable when we have the technology to prevent the use of contraband phones entirely,” Senator Hutchison said. “We put criminals in prison to end their ability to commit crimes and terrorize the public. We cannot look away knowing full well that no matter how hard our dedicated law enforcement and corrections professionals work to stop them, contraband phones will get into prisons and be used to commit unspeakable acts. We have to find a way to stop their use.”
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You can watch Senator Hutchison’s statement here.
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30th - |
Rockefeller, Boxer Applaud Funding for Rail Safety Grants
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) lauded the Senate Appropriations Committee for fully funding a new railroad safety technology grant program, created by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
The committee passed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which includes $50 million for the Railro...
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30th - |
Hearing Summary - Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities.
Witness List:
The Honorable Gary Locke, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
The Honorable John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President
Key ...
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30th - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities
- Our climate shapes every aspect of our lives. It determines where we build our roads and homes. It affects our health and it controls the amount of energy we need. Over one-third of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product is affected by weather and climate.
Climate change is happening—the scientists agree—we have observed rising temperatures and sea levels, reduced snow and ice...
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30th - |
Rockefeller Seeks Information on Health Care Co-ops
- WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation released three letters seeking information regarding cooperative business arrangements, particularly in the health care arena. The letters were sent to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the National Cooperative Business Association, and the U.S. Department...
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29th - |
Hearing Summary: Nominations Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on nominations.
Witness List:
Mr. Christopher P. Bertram, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Transportation
Ms. Susan L. Kurland, to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International A...
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28th - |
Hearing Summary - Weathering the Storm: The Need for a National Hurricane Initiative
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on Weathering the Storm: The Need for a National Hurricane Initiative.
Witness List:
Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier, Co-Chairman, Task Force on Hurricane Science and Engineering, National Science Board
Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanic an...
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27th - |
Nominees Confirmed
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate confirmed the following nominees by unanimous consent on July 24, 2009:
Ms. Mignon L. Clyburn, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Ms. Meredith Attwell Baker, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Ms. Deborah A.P. Hersman, to be Chairman and Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (N...
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24th - |
Rockefeller Calls for Audit of General Motors and Chrysler Terminations
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jay Rockefeller has requested the Special Inspector General of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) review the methodology of the General Motors (GM) and Chrysler decisions to terminate more than 2,000 dealership franchises across the country.
“There is substantial confusion, even among dealers themselves, as to how GM and Chrysler selected dealersh...
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22nd - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection
- With this hearing, the committee continues to highlight the Federal Trade Commission’s role in protecting the American people, especially at a time of unprecedented economic crisis. Last week, we explored the increasing frequency and danger of economic fraud and financial scams during tough times.
Today, we will examine deceptive advertising and its power to undermine consumers’ c...
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22nd - |
Hearing Summary: Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing today on Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection.
Witness List:
Mr. David Vladeck, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission
Ms. Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League
Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director for Technical...
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21st - |
Rockefeller Applauds Senate Commerce Committee's Approval of FAA Reauthorization Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement today after legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was approved by the Commerce Committee:
“I am very pleased that this important legislation was quickly approved by the Committee and t...
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21st - |
Chairman Rockefeller Applauds Senate Commerce Committee's Extension of Critical Highway Programs
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, worked today to extend critical highway and vehicle safety programs authorized by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).
The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill to extend the Nation...
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21st - |
Executive Session Committee Legislation Summary
- Washington, D.C.—Today the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an Executive Session and favorably reported out the following legislation and nominees:
Nomination of Polly Trottenberg, to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy of the United States Department of Transportation (PN 549)
Nomination of Deborah A.P. Hersman, to be Chairman and Memb...
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20th - |
Chairman Rockefeller on the 40th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing
- WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement today honoring the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing:
“Forty years ago, three brave NASA astronauts ventured into the unknown carrying an entire nation’s hopes and dreams with them. When Apollo 11 lan...
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17th - |
Rockefeller and Hutchison Press DOT on Antitrust Immunity Cases
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), the Ranking Member on the Committee, joined together and urged the Department of Transportation to exercise its long-held statutory authority and expertise to determine if applications for airline anti-trust immunity are in the publi...
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16th - |
Hearing Summary: Competition in the Health Care Marketplace
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing today on Competition in the Health Care Marketplace.
Witness List:
Mr. Richard A. Feinstein, Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission
Dr. Len M. Nichols, Director, Health Policy Program, New America Foundation
Mr. David Balto, Senior Fellow, Center For ...
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15th - |
Chairman Rockefeller Alarmed by Magnitude of Cyber Attacks
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, sent letters to 11 different federal departments and agencies asking for information regarding their cybersecurity preparedness and the effectiveness of their incident response capability.
Chairman Rockefeller and Senator Snowe recently introduced bipa...
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15th - |
current Press Release |
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14th - |
Hearing Summary-The Economy and Fraud: Protecting Consumers During Downward Economic Times
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation continued the fight for American consumers and held a subcommittee hearing today on The Economy and Fraud: Protecting Consumers During Downward Economic Times.
Witness List:
The Honorable Chris Koster, Attorney General, State of Missouri
Mr. David Vladeck, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Fed...
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14th - |
Rockefeller, Hutchison, Dorgan, Demint Introduce Bipartisan Aviation Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Ranking Member of the Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee Jim DeMint (R-SC) joined together today to in...
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13th - |
Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison Statements on the Nomination of Chris Bertram
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison issued the following statements after Christopher P. Bertram was nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“Mr. Bertram brings a ...
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10th - |
Chairman Rockefeller Adds Another Company to His Online "Mystery Charges" Investigation
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced a Senate Commerce Committee investigation on May 27, 2009 into certain e-commerce marketing practices that generate thousands of mysterious monthly charges to consumer credit cards.
Today, Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to the President of Affini...
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9th - |
Hearing Summary: Nominations Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing yesterday on nominations.
Nominations Include:
Panel I
Mr. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Ms. Lori Garver, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
...
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8th - |
Executive Session Committee Legislation Summary
- Washington, D.C.—Today the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an Executive Session and favorably reported out the following legislation:
S. 588, Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009
S. 649, Radio Spectrum Inventory Act
S. 668, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2009
S. 1194, Coast Guard Authorizati...
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Audio Clip | Video Clip
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