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 […]

Chairman Rockefeller Questions Health Insurance Execs on Harmful “Purging” Practices Used Against Small Businesses Throughout America

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, sent a letter to CIGNA today requesting information regarding how the health insurance company “purged” small businesses whose employees made too many claims and cost CIGNA too much money.   “Since I took over as Chairman of […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

Committee Approves Hutchison Bill to Jam Illegal Prison Cell Phones

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 (D-Calif.), […]

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 […]

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 […]