Commerce Committee Approves Biden Transportation Nominations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved five Biden Administration nominations and 70 Coast Guard officer promotions during today’s Executive Session. All are subject to approval by the full Senate.
Cantwell Demands Accountability From USMMA, Coast Guard, DOT Leaders Following Sexual Assault Allegations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation which oversees federal maritime agencies sent a letter to Acting Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Lucinda Lessley demanding answers regarding allegations of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment made by midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) as well as the response from leaders at MARAD. Senator Cantwell sent a copy of the letter to the Coast Guard, which has primary jurisdiction for investigating these incidents on the high seas.
Following Two Weeks of Hearings, Sen. Cantwell Calls on Facebook to Preserve Data, Documents Related to Testimony the Company Misled Public, Put Profits over Safety of Users
SEATTLE, WA – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation called on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to preserve all documents, data, and electronic information related to testimony that the company misled the public about the harmful impact of its platforms on teenagers and children, and in spreading hate and divisive content.
Cantwell Says Action Needed to Stem Tide of ID Theft, Ransomware, and Security Breaches
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the second in a series of hearings on the urgent need to protect consumer privacy and data security, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, reiterated her call to create a data security and privacy enforcement bureau at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). She has also called on Congress to ensure it is equipped with the resources, first time civil penalty authority, and clear digital security standards needed to stem the tide of data breaches, identity theft and ransomware assaults that are harming millions of Americans.
Wicker Expresses Concern About TikTok’s Involvement in U.S. Cyber Games
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expressing concern about the role TikTok will play in the first ever U.S. Cyber Games, an initiative receiving funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The U.S. Cyber Games represent an important initiative led by the private sector to promote cybersecurity careers, build a diverse and skilled cybersecurity workforce, and help to drive research on effective practices for cybersecurity workforce development.
Wicker Raises Concerns Over CPSC Acting Chairman’s Nullification of FY2022 Operating Plan
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent a letter urging Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Acting Chairman Robert Adler to adopt the Commission’s Operating Plan for Fiscal Year 2022 as amended by majority vote. This follows Acting Chairman Adler’s recent action to nullify a 2-1 vote to approve the Operating Plan.
TODAY: At Hearing With Facebook Safety Head, Cantwell Says Children Need Stronger Protection from Digital Abuse, Harm
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today underscored the urgent need to strengthen federal digital protections for children during a subcommittee hearing in response to revelations that Facebook and Instagram were aware of the harmful impact its products have on children and teenagers. Today’s comments follow a hearing Sen. Cantwell chaired yesterday regarding her push to create a privacy and data security enforcement bureau at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and invest significant federal resources to ensure it is equipped with the authorities and resources to fight digital harms and hold bad actors accountable for privacy violations, deception, data breaches, internet scams, ransomware assaults and other data abuses.
Wicker Urges Congress to Pass Federal Data Privacy Legislation
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today during the committee hearing on consumer data privacy expressed the importance of Congress passing a comprehensive national data privacy law.
Senate Ranking Members Urge DOJ to Restore Information Access for Minority Committee Leaders
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, led Senate committee ranking members in a letter to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General Merrick Garland imploring the DOJ to rescind the Office of Legal Counsel’s (OLC) 2017 opinion, which advises departments and agencies that they can ignore document requests from minority leadership of congressional committees.
Committee Approves Biden Nominations for CPSC, DOC
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved the following three nominations, all of whom are now subject to approval by the full Senate.