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Press Releases |
For Immediate Release
08/05/09
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Jena Longo - Democratic Deputy Communications Director 202.224.7824
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Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Today's Nominations Hearing
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I am pleased to welcome Mr. Dennis F. Hightower to the Committee today. If confirmed as the next Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce, you will serve as the Department’s chief operations officer and take responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Department’s $17 billion budget and more than 38,000 employees.
I am confident that your work in the private and public sector will be an asset to the Department. Your record at Walt Disney and Europe Online Networks has consistently shown that you have the management experience needed to excel in this position.
Additionally, as a former professor of management at the Harvard Business School and a guest lecturer at universities worldwide, your ability to think strategically will undoubtedly help to shape the long-term policy direction of the Department. Thank you for your service.
We also have an opportunity this morning to consider President Obama’s nominations to fill the two remaining vacancies on the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Robert Adler brings to the CPSC extensive experience and knowledge about consumer product safety issues. As a professor at the University of North Carolina, Mr. Adler is a distinguished scholar in the areas of consumer protection, product liability, ethics, regulation and negotiation. Mr. Adler previously worked as a counsel for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and as an attorney-advisor for two former CPSC commissioners. He began his career as a deputy attorney general for the Pennsylvania Justice Department. With such extensive and distinguished experience, Mr. Adler is an ideal candidate to be a Commissioner for the CPSC.
Anne Northup is a former member of the House of Representatives, serving Kentucky’s Third District for ten years. While in the House of Representatives, Ms. Northup advocated for child literacy and adoption. Ms. Northup also served for ten years in Kentucky’s House of Representatives. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell recognized the policy background and leadership talent that Ms. Northup brings to the table when he chose her as his party’s nominee for the CPSC.
I thank both of you for continuing your careers in public service.
If the Senate confirms your nominations, you will join the CPSC under the leadership of Chairman Inez Tenenbaum who is already off to a fast start. She has rejuvenated an agency that has long been neglected, but which serves as the front line of defense in protecting American consumers from dangerous products. Each year, consumer products cause 28,000 deaths and 33 million injuries. These numbers are incredibly high, reminding us just how much work remains to be done.
Ms. Tenenbaum has committed to this Committee that she will work tirelessly to implement the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that we passed last year. I would ask that you do the same. Consumers and their children are counting on you to fully carry out Congress’ mandate to dramatically reduce the number of unsafe products. So we will be watching your work closely.
Mr. Hightower, Mr. Adler, Ms. Northup, congratulations on your nomination by the President. We look forward to hearing your testimony today.
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Chairman Rockefeller Applauds the Senate's Confirmation of Nominees
- WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement today regarding the confirmation of:
Mr. Christopher P. Bertram, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation
Ms. Patricia D. Cahill, to be a...
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7th - |
Chairman Rockefeller on "Cash for Clunkers"
- WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement today regarding the Senate’s passage (60-37) of H.R. 3435, a bill making supplemental appropriations for FY2010 for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program (“Cash for Clunkers”).
“I a...
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6th - |
Hearing Summary: Waste, Fraud and Abuse in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on Waste, Fraud and Abuse in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.
Witness List:
Mr. Alfred J. Longhi, Jr., former Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Lithium Power Technologies
Mr. Thomas J. Howard, Acting Inspector General, National Aeronautic...
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6th - |
Hearing Summary - Aviation Safety: The Relationship Between Network and Regional Airlines
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing today on Aviation Safety: The Relationship Between Network Airlines and Regional Airlines.
Witness List:
Mr. Philip H. Trenary, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Mr. Peter Bowler, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Eagle Airlines...
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6th - |
Hutchison: FAA Must Stay Vigilant
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today during a hearing on the relationship between network and regional airlines said that the Federal Aviation Administration must stay vigilant when it comes to air safety.
“Despite the remarkable safety record of the U.S. aviation industry, rece...
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5th - |
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:
S. 1078, the AmericaView Geospatial Imagery Mapping Program Act
S. 30, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009
S. 251, the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009
S. 952, Harmful Algal Blooms and Hyp...
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Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Today's Executive Session
- WASHINGTON, D.C.--We have four very important bills and a number of key Administration nominations on today’s agenda.
First, the committee will consider, S. 1078, the AmericaView Geospatial Imagery Mapping Program. This bill authorizes the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to expand the AmericaView program, which is designed to use satellite and remote sensing data to support applied resea...
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5th - |
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. Dennis F. Hightower, to be Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce
Mr. Robert S. Adler, to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Ms. Anne M. Northup, to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product...
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5th - |
current Press Release |
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5th - |
Committee Approves Hutchison Bill to Jam Illegal Prison Cell Phones
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee today approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Committee, to allow prisons to block calls from contraband cellular phones. The Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009 (S. 251), is cosponsored by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Diane Feinstein (...
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