Senate Commerce Committee Approves 11 Bills, Including Bipartisan Children’s Online Privacy Legislation
During an Executive Session today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved 11 bipartisan bills, including legislation aimed at protecting children’s online privacy: the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Other important bills approved included the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, the ORBITS Act, the TICKET Act, the COOL Online Act and several manufacturing bills. These bills now head to the Senate floor.
Cantwell Delivers Opening Statement at FCC Nominations Markup
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered the following opening statement at today’s executive session to consider the nominations of Anna Gomez, Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to be Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioners, Fara Damelin to be the FCC Inspector General, Alvin Brown to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board and Coast Guard promotions. The Committee held the FCC nominations hearing on June 22 and the NTSB nominations hearing on June 21.
Cantwell Applauds $42 Billion to Connect Americans to Affordable, Reliable, High-Speed Internet
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which sets federal broadband policy, applauded today’s announcement by President Biden that $42.45 billion in funding is being distributed to states to expand affordable, reliable, high-speed internet service to communities, including $1.2 billion to the State of Washington where 264,000 households still lack access.
Cantwell Delivers Opening Statement at FCC Nomination Hearing
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing to consider nominations to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) including Fara Damelin to be FCC Inspector General, and Anna Gomez, Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to be FCC Commissioners. You can watch the hearing and read the nominees’ testimonies here.
Sen. Cantwell Statement on Gigi Sohn’s Decision to Withdraw Her Nomination to the FCC Commission
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, made the following statement regarding Gigi Sohn’s decision to withdraw her nomination to serve as an FCC Commissioner:
At 3rd Nomination Hearing Sen. Cantwell Calls Personal Attacks Against Biden Nominee Gigi Sohn “distractions from the fact that Ms. Sohn is immensely qualified for this position and a highly effective, would be, FCC commissioner”
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell delivered the following opening remarks at today’s 3rd nomination hearing for Gigi Sohn, President Biden’s nominee to serve on the FCC Commission, underscoring Sohn’s exception qualifications, bipartisan support and her commitment to serving the public:
Cantwell Wants Children’s Online Privacy Bills Passed During Lame Duck
Today, Commerce Committee spokesperson Tricia Enright provided the following statement regarding Chair Cantwell’s full support for efforts to pass Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) during the lame duck session.
Cantwell Releases Statement in Support for U.S. Candidate Doreen Bogdan-Martin to Serve as Secretary General of ITU
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement in support of Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the U.S. candidate for Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations agency that specializes in spectrum management, telecommunications technical standards and improving broadband access in communities across the globe.
Cantwell, Capito Propose Broadband Buildout Along America’s Electricity Grid
Last week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, introduced the Grant to Rapidly Invest and Deploy Broadband, or GRID Broadband Act, a pioneering proposal that would provide a robust new federal cost-share to spur investment in a nationwide middle-mile backbone along the nation’s existing electricity grid. The goal of this bipartisan initiative is to help provide affordable high-speed Internet options to the 120 million American households that lack connectivity and enhance the resiliency, diversity, and security of America’s electrical grid.
Cantwell Co-Sponsors Bill to Reinstate Net Neutrality, Reverse Damaging Trump-Era Deregulation
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which oversees federal internet policy, today joined Commerce Committee member Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representative Doris Matsui (CA-06) in introducing the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act. The legislation would accurately classify broadband internet access as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the appropriate authority to reinstate net neutrality protections.