Chairman Rockefeller’s Remarks on Television Viewers, Retransmission Consent, and the Public Interest
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Television is a powerful force. But I believe the system we have for developing television content, packaging that content, and distributing it to consumers is broken. It may serve companies well. But it does not serve us well as consumers. And I believe it serves us even less well as citizens. Let me explain why.
Transportation Security Administration Oversight Hearing Summary
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on oversight of the Transportation Security Administration.
Chairman Rockefeller’s Remarks on Today’s Transportation Security Administration Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Turn on the TV. Pick up the newspaper. In the past 48 hours, there’s been a steady stream of stories about airport screening procedures – on pat-downs, and full body scanners. I appreciate people’s concerns. I understand that there is frustration. I realize some of these screening procedures appear invasive.
Chairman Rockefeller Presses Social Networking Sites Facebook & MySpace on Privacy Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent letters to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and MySpace President Michael Jones requesting more information about privacy breaches reported in the Wall Street Journal.
Rockefeller to NAIC Commissioners: Reject Health Care Industry’s 11th Hour Lobbying Effort
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, sent a letter to the members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) Health and Managed Care (B) Committee urging them to stand strong against the health insurance industry’s last minute attempt to water down key consumer protections included in the health care reform bill.
Chairman Rockefeller Attends Signing Ceremony for Communications Accessibility Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, attended the signing ceremony for the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. As Chairman, Senator Rockefeller played a key role in shepherding the bill to Senate passage.
Hutchison: NASA Bill Provides Clear Direction and a New Path Forward for America’s Space Agency
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today said the NASA reauthorization bill, which the president is expected to sign into law, provides clear direction and a new path forward for America’s space agency. The bill was approved by the Senate in August and by the House in September.
Chairman Rockefeller Probes McDonald’s Health Care Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, sent a letter today to Scott Beacham, the President and Chief Executive of BCS Financial Corporation, asking for more information about the insurance products his company sells to McDonald’s hourly wage employees.
Rockefeller, Hutchison Applaud Passage of Coast Guard Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), today applauded final passage of the Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R. 3619). The comprehensive legislation authorizes the U.S. Coast Guard’s funding levels, improves management and oversight of the Coast Guard’s Deepwater fleet modernization program, and provides new tools to enhance the Coast Guard’s critical homeland security, marine safety, fisheries and environmental protection missions.
Rockefeller Statement on Senate Passage of the CALM Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, issued the following statement after the Senate passed the CALM Act (S. 2847), a bill to require the FCC to enforce internationally accepted standards of television advertisement volumes to effectively fix a problem that annoys millions of television viewers when commercials are many times louder than regular programming.