Republican News

Today, Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation sent a letter to Admiral Pekoske and Acting Deputy Administrator Cogswell of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expressing concern about the agency’s plan to divert personnel to the southern border.

U.S. Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., a member and former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and current chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, Ed Markey, D-Mass., also a member of the Commerce Committee and author of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., current chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, issued the following statements after the Senate overwhelmingly approved their bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act (S. 151) by a vote of 97-1. It now heads to the House for its consideration.

U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, Richard Blumenthal and Maria Cantwell, joined U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Tim Ryan and Pete King to announce legislation, the HOT CARS Act, to address injuries and fatalities around the country as a result of hot interiors in vehicles. The legislation would mandate that all new vehicles be equipped with an alert system to remind drivers to check their back seat. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky today chaired an Energy Commerce Subcommittee hearing on summer driving dangers and safety issues.

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, together with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ranking member of the Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection, today introduced the Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in the Rear Seat (HOT CARS) Act of 2019. This legislation would help to prevent heat stroke-related deaths due to children being left alone in a vehicle.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Mark Warner, D-Va., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., today introduced the United States 5G Leadership Act of 2019. This legislation would establish U.S. policy for the commercial deployment and security of Fifth Generation (5G) networks by creating the Supply Chain Security Trust Fund grant program.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Authorization and Enhancement Act, authorizing appropriations for MARAD for Fiscal Year 2020, as well as four additional bills.

On Friday, U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai urging the commission to redouble its efforts to make mid-band spectrum available for 5G.

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., chairman of the Subcommittee on Science, Oceans, Fisheries, and Weather, will convene a hearing titled, “Atmospheric Science Research and Forecasting Innovation,” at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2019. The hearing will examine the current state of atmospheric and forecast research. Witnesses will provide insight on how to make atmospheric science research more broadly accessible and available. The panel will also provide feedback on the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 and the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a nominations hearing on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 to consider the presidential nomination of Stephen Dickson to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. The hearing will immediately follow the executive session in Dirksen Senate Office Building G50.