Democratic News

Press Releases 03/15/2011
Chairman Rockefeller Remarks on Realizing NASA's Potential: Programmatic Challenges in the 21st Century
WASHINGTON, D.C.—I would like to welcome all of our witnesses here this afternoon to discuss NASA’s progress and challenges in implementing the NASA Authorization Act of 2010. No conversation on implementation, however, would be complete without also discussing the destructive impact that sporadic funding is having on NASA’s mission and priorities.
Press Releases 03/15/2011
Rockefeller Urges Insurance Commissioners to Preserve the Strong Consumer Protections in the Health Care Reform Law
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 the President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) urging state insurance regulators to oppose giving health insurance agents and brokers a special exemption from an important pro-consumer provision of the health care reform law. The letter provides a detailed analysis of why exempting agent and broker commissions from the law’s “minimum medical loss ratio” requirements could cost individuals and businesses more than a billion dollars in lost rebates and premiums reductions. The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) and Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty are lobbying NAIC members to endorse this special agent and broker exemption at the NAIC’s upcoming meeting in Austin, Texas.
Press Releases 03/11/2011
Rockefeller Disappointed By Breakdown of NFL Negotiations
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV released the following statement after the National Football League’s Players Association filed to decertify:
Press Releases 03/11/2011
Rockefeller Says Japan Tsunami Is a Reminder That Gutting Essential NOAA Prediction Programs Would Be Disastrous
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today expressed his sorrow and condolences to the people affected by the horrific tsunami in Japan and pressed for continued investments in America’s premier weather prediction and ocean science agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
Press Releases 03/10/2011
Rockefeller Urges Senators to Support Public Safety Communications Legislation Before the Ten Year Anniversary of 9/11
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate urging Members of Congress to pass legislation that would provide public safety officials with the spectrum they need to communicate during emergencies. The Chairman’s remarks as prepared for delivery follow:
Press Releases 03/10/2011
Chairman Rockefeller Remarks at Today's Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today we will consider four nominations. While normally we would start with the nominees who report to the president, I’ve decided to run today’s hearing a bit differently.
Press Releases 03/10/2011
Key Quotes from Today's Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on nominations.
Press Releases 03/9/2011
Rockefeller Praises Locke, Encourages White House to Name Agressive Commerce Secretary
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement after President Obama named Commerce Department Secretary Gary Locke to be U.S. Ambassador to China:
Press Releases 03/8/2011
Key Quotes from Today's Hearing to Review the Department of Transportation Fiscal Year 2012 Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today to review the Department of Transportation fiscal year 2012 budget.
Press Releases 03/8/2011
Chairman Rockefeller Remarks at Hearing to Review the Department of Transportation FY2012 Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Infrastructure development has played an integral part to our nation’s expansion, economic development and growth. I think it is important to note that the federal government has always been the driving force in the development of our transportation networks – from the first outlays of money to build canals in the early days of the Republic, to creating the conditions for the development of railroads in the 19th century, to the development of the interstate highway and aviation system in the 20th century.