Press Releases |
For Immediate Release
02/12/09
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Jamie Smith - Democratic Press Office 202-224-6101
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Senate Commerce Chairman Rockefeller Announces New Committee Rules
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Washington, DC - John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation issued the following statement:
“The Senate Commerce Committee today adopted our rules and structure for this Congress. The existing Senate rules give the Commerce Committee expansive jurisdiction over many sectors of the economy that will play a key role in the long term economic success of our country.
“Included in the rules officially adopted today are new sections detailing the process by which the Committee may exercise its authority to issue subpoenas.
“This power will allow the Committee to act quickly and aggressively to protect consumers and make sure our government is functioning effectively, efficiently and rooting out abuse - which is especially critical at a time of limited resources and economic uncertainty.
“While the Committee's subpoena process is new, the power to issue subpoenas is not. Section 1 Rule XXVI of the Standing Senate Rules gives the Committee the authority to “require by subpoena” the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents. What we are doing here is laying out the steps the Committee will take in the event a subpoena is necessary to do our work.
“The court of public opinion is by far the strongest check on good government and good corporate citizenship, and a congressional subpoena generally should be called upon as a tool of last resort. But effective oversight is essential and must not be obstructed. This Committee must and will bring in to Congressional and public view important information about how well the laws and programs under our jurisdiction work, and we stand ready to address manipulation or neglect by either the Executive Branch or outside parties as needed .”
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7th - |
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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5th - |
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 - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Today's Nominations Hearing
- 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 pu...
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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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