DoD Reverses Course, Grants Equal Access to Military Child Care for Coast Guard Families
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper signed a policy revision granting Coast Guard service members and civilian employees the same access to military child care as equivalent Department of Defense (DoD) service members […]
FCC Votes to Advance Proposed Rulemaking to Deploy 5G Services to Rural America
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to advance a notice of proposed rulemaking on the 5G Fund. The 5G Fund would make $9 billion available to deploy 5G services to rural America.
Wicker Seeks Stakeholder Input on REAL ID Implementation Challenges
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent a letter to the National Governors Association, American Association of Airport Executives, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and U.S. Travel Association to inquire about challenges in meeting the new October 1, 2021, REAL ID implementation deadline and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on implementing the REAL ID Act.
Air Carriers Accept $25 Billion in Payroll Assistance
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that most of the major passenger air carriers have agreed in concept to the payroll support section in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act includes a total of $25 billion in payroll support for passenger air carriers to maintain employment and avoid job cuts. Wicker played a key role in drafting the section of the CARES Act that provides assistance to the airlines.
Airports Receive More than $9 Billion in Relief Funding
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allocated more than $9 billion in airport assistance funding to facilities in every U.S. state and territory. This funding was made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic […]
Cantwell: Marshal American Innovation To Fight COVID-19
Ranking Member Cantwell Opening Statement WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Congress continues to work on legislation and new resources to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, used her written opening statement in today’s paper Commerce committee hearing to highlight the potential for […]
Committee Announces Paper Hearing on Big Data and the Coronavirus
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today announced a paper hearing titled, “Enlisting Big Data in the Fight Against Coronavirus,” on Thursday, April 9, 2020, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The committee and witnesses will submit written statements, questions, and answers to examine recent uses of aggregate and anonymized consumer data to identify potential hotspots of coronavirus transmission and to help accelerate the development of treatments. The committee will also examine how consumers’ privacy rights are being protected and what the U.S. government plans to do with COVID-related data collected at the end of this national emergency.
Cantwell Statement on Trump Administration Rollback of Fuel Efficiency Standards
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the below statement on the Trump Administration’s plan to move forward with a harmful rollback of fuel efficiency standards through the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026. This rule would eliminate current […]
Ranking Member Cantwell Secures $300 Million for Fishermen Suffering From The Fallout From COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, successfully fought to include economic relief for fishermen in the COVID-19 package that passed the Senate. Ranking Member Cantwell said, “The thousands of fishermen in the Pacific Northwest, and across the nation, will now have access to grants […]
Bill to Improve Broadband Data Maps Signed Into Law
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed S.1822, the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, into law. The legislation will improve the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) broadband availability maps by strengthening the process by which broadband data is collected.