Commerce Committee Passes Youth Sports Concussions Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller (D-WV) and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today released the following statements after the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed S. 1014, the Youth Sports Concussions Act. The legislation seeks to protect youth athletes from the dangers of concussions by curbing false advertising claims that sports equipment manufacturers make in order to sell protective gear for sports. Action on S. 1014 coincides with April’s Youth Sports Safety Month, a campaign by STOP Sports Injuries to make sure parents, coaches and athletes are educated on preventing sports injuries in kids. The Rockefeller-Udall bill now awaits action by the full Senate.

Commerce Committee Passes Sport Fishing Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD) today released the following statements after the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed S. 2028, the Sport Fish Restoration and Recreational Boating Safety Act of 2014, which seeks to preserve and restore fishing habitats which benefit the Nation’s sport fishermen, while creating jobs in the recreating industry. The legislation now awaits action by the full Senate.

Thune Statement on Commerce Committee Nomination Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, submitted for the record the following prepared remarks at today’s full committee hearing on the nominations of Vice Admiral Paul Zukunft to be Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and Elliot Kaye and Joseph Mohorovic to be […]

Rockefeller: Crude Oil Industry Commitment to Safety Seems to be “Lip Service”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today released the following statement after the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) reported that the crude oil industry has not kept its promise to share testing data with the agency. Last month, the American Petroleum Institute (API) pledged to Congress to share this data with the Department of Transportation as part of the agency’s work to ensure the safe transportation of crude.

Following Pressure from Thune, EU Delays Illegitimate Tax on International Flights

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, commended the members of the European Parliament on their decision to extend the moratorium on aviation emission taxes from being collected on flights into and out of the European Union (EU) through 2016. “This action by the European […]

Rockefeller: GM Recall and NHTSA’s Response are Deeply Frustrating and Outrageous

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller today issued prepared remarks for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance hearing titled, “Examining the GM Recall and NHTSA’s Defect Investigation Process.” Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Thune, Rubio Demand Answers from Administration on Internet Transition

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and 33 of their Senate Republican colleagues today sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Commerce Larry Strickling, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), seeking clarification regarding the recent announcement that NTIA intends to relinquish responsibility of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority […]

Rockefeller: STELA Reauthorization Must Advance the Public Interest

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller today issued prepared remarks for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet hearing titled, “Reauthorization of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA).”

Rockefeller: Car Safety Rule Welcome Step Toward Protecting Children

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today released the following statement after the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a rule yesterday that will help reduce deaths caused by rearview mirror blind spots. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that more than 200 children die each year because a driver can’t see behind their car. The rule was mandated in bipartisan legislation passed in 2008 and was required to be finalized by February 2011. The law, the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act, was named in honor of a young boy who was killed in a tragic accident in his own driveway.

Rockefeller Statement on FCC Media Ownership Action

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today released the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) action on media ownership. Rockefeller has called on the FCC to closely examine the use of Joint Sales Agreements (JSA) and Shared Services Agreements (SSA) by broadcasters and has asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study how JSAs and SSAs impact competition and consumers.