Republican News

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, yesterday introduced the National Ocean Exploration Act. The bill would authorize the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council, update national priorities for ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization, and direct the Council to coordinate and facilitate activities across federal and non-federal entities to advance those priorities.

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection, today released the following statement regarding the cyberattack on U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Commerce.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains commerce-related provisions. The bill includes the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019, HACKED Act, CYBER LEAP Act, Industries of the Future Act, Spectrum IT Modernization Act, MARAD Reauthorization Act, and 11 other bills reported out of the Commerce Committee.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today introduced the Collegiate Athlete and Compensation Rights Act to permit student athletes to earn compensation for the use of their name, image, or likeness (NIL). The bill would create a uniform, national framework for NIL compensation.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, will convene a hearing titled, “Betting on the Rest: Expanding American Entrepreneurship Outside Traditional Hubs,” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. The hearing will examine the venture capital gap that exists between different geographic regions in America, how COVID-19 could redefine this gap, and what the private and public sectors are doing to address it.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today issued the following statement upon the Senate confirmation of Nathan Simington as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection, will convene a hearing titled, “Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Live Event Entertainment Industry,” at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. The hearing will examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the live event entertainment industry and the challenges faced by artists and venues, as well as supporting industries such as lighting and transportation. The hearing will also examine proposals for legislative relief, unemployment compensation, and healthcare subsidies.

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., today introduced the Rural STEM Education Act to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education access and training in rural communities.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Todd Young, R-Ind., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., along with 13 other senators today sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, urging full funding for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act and the Broadband DATA Act, as Congress completes the appropriations process for FY2021.