Majority Statement

• Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV
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  Majority Statement

  Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

  WASHINGTON, D.C.--I want to welcome and congratulate our nominees. I appreciate your commitment to public service and look forward to seeing you all confirmed shortly so you can get to work.

  We will start today with Julie Brill, the President’s nominee to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, who has spent her career in state Attorneys General offices advocating on behalf of consumers.

  My hope is that Ms. Brill will help the FTC work more closely with state Attorney General divisions to leverage and increase enforcement against those who target consumers, especially the most vulnerable. Ms. Brill’s experience fighting in the trenches will serve her well.

  Also nominated to be Commissioner of the FTC is Edith Ramirez, who brings extensive experience in complex business litigation. I appreciate her critical eye for mergers and business combinations which may potentially harm consumers.

  And now we turn to one of our very own: David Strickland — nominated to be the next Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

  Most of the members of this Committee not only know Mr. Strickland, they consider him a trusted advisor and friend.

  During eight years as a senior counsel for consumer and auto safety issues, Mr. Strickland has served three chairmen, including me. 

  David’s booming voice and infectious laugh complement a sharp intellect, meticulous preparation, and the ability to build consensus on complex issues.

  David’s expertise on automobile issues helped the Senate write the bill that raised gas mileage standards for the first time in 30 years. He helped write the landmark safety bill in 2005 requiring electronic stability control and other safety features in all cars in coming model years.

  In 2004, Mothers Against Drunk Driving named Mr. Strickland its “Congressional Staffer of the Year” for his efforts to reduce drunk driving.

  Now, he will take his safety expertise to a new venue, but continue his work to prevent injuries and save lives on our nation’s highways.

  Mr. Strickland is the right person for this job. And, as part of the job, I think he will enjoy being interrogated at the witness table during future hearings. I know I will enjoy it.

  Next, we have Nicole Lamb-Hale, who has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services at the Department of Commerce.

  The current state of our economy requires our businesses to make the world their market. We look forward to Ms. Lamb-Hale stepping up to invigorate companies and help produce new American jobs. 

  We also welcome Michael Khouri, nominee to be Administrator of the Federal Maritime Commission, which we need to promote fair and open shipping practices in international commerce.

  Thank you again to our nominees for your testimony today and your continued public service. I look forward to your speedy confirmation.

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Minority Statement

• Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison
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  Minority Statement

  Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison

  WASHINGTON, D.C.--Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding today’s hearing. We will consider a number of nominees chosen to fill a variety of important positions.

  I want to join the Chairman in recognizing one of his Committee staffers, David Strickland. David has worked on highway safety and consumer affairs issues for eight years and he has made many important contributions to legislation that has passed through this Committee. His policy focus on NHTSA and automotive safety will serve him well in his new position.

  I also would like to welcome the nominees for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Ms. Julie Simone Brill and Ms. Edith Ramirez. The FTC has immense jurisdiction, covering both consumer protection and antitrust issues in a broad range of industries.

  We have focused a large amount of attention recently on the actions of the FTC, especially as they relate to consumer protection during the financial crisis. It is very important that we fill the Commissioner vacancies to enable the agency to do its job most effectively on behalf of the American consumers.

  This committee will likely consider an FTC reauthorization bill in the months ahead. I have significant concerns regarding what is expected to be an effort to considerably expand the authority of the agency. I am very interested to hear the nominees’ views on this matter.

  I also would like to welcome Ms. Nicole Lamb-Hale, who has been nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services at the Department of Commerce. This position plays an important role in ensuring that U.S. industry remains strong and globally competitive, which is crucial to our economy. I look forward to hearing her ideas for the organization.

  And finally, I am happy to welcome Mr. Michael Khouri, who is the Republican nominee to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). Safe and efficient maritime commerce is vital to the U.S. economy. Port and maritime activity accounts for over 13 million jobs, generating $649 billion in personal income.

  Port of Houston, in my home state of Texas, is one of the busiest ports in the world and ranks first in the United States in foreign waterborne tonnage.

  The FMC has the important task of ensuring the stability and security of maritime commerce and I look forward to hearing the nominee’s priorities for the Commission.

  I thank all of our nominees for their willingness to serve and look forward to hearing from them.

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Testimony

• Ms. Julie Simone Brill

  to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission
  Download Testimony (47.99 KB)

• Ms. Edith Ramirez

  to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission
  Download Testimony (42.65 KB)

• Ms. Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale

  to be Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services

  U.S. Department of Commerce
  Download Testimony (112.42 KB)

• Mr. Michael A. Khouri

  to be a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission
  Download Testimony (739.58 KB)

• Mr. David L. Strickland

  to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  U.S. Department of Transportation
  Download Testimony (709.48 KB)