Hearings

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “The 5G Workforce and Obstacles to Broadband Deployment,” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 22, 2020. This hearing will examine the skills and training needed among the telecommunications workforce to deploy 5G networks, as well as ongoing efforts within the public and private sectors to address the 5G labor shortage. Witnesses will also discuss regulatory barriers that may impede U.S. leadership in next generation communications technology and efforts to close the digital divide.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “Industries of the Future,” immediately following an executive session at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 15, 2020. The hearing will examine how the United States can maintain its global economic edge in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, quantum information science, biotechnology, and developing the next generation of wireless networks and infrastructure.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a nomination hearing on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 to consider the presidential nomination of Thomas Chapman to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board. The hearing will immediately follow the executive session in Dirksen Senate Office Building G50.

U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, will convene a hearing titled, “The Evolution of Next-Generation Technologies: Implementing MOBILE NOW,” at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2019. The hearing will examine the implementation of several mandates required by the Making Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive and Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act (MOBILE NOW). Witnesses will discuss MOBILE NOW’s spectrum provisions and the streamlining of broadband infrastructure on federal lands, among other things.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “Highly Automated Vehicles: Federal Perspectives on the Deployment of Safety Technology,” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, will convene a hearing titled, “Building the Space Workforce of the Future: STEM Engagement for a 21st Century Education,” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Witnesses will discuss how engaging students in projects with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) helps provide hands-on training, develops the future workforce, and fosters innovation.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “The Reauthorization of STELAR,” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2019. This hearing will examine policy considerations for reauthorizing the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELAR) before the law expires at the end of the year and how to ensure Americans living beyond the reach of a broadcast signal maintain access to local programming. In addition, witnesses will discuss the effectiveness of STELAR’s good faith requirement and other targeted video marketplace reforms Congress should consider in the next STELAR reauthorization.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska., chairman of the Subcommittee on Security, will convene a hearing titled, “Improving Security at America’s Airports: Stakeholder Perspectives,” at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2019. This hearing will examine stakeholder perspectives on ways the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can advance aviation security. The witnesses will share their views on TSA’s implementation of aviation security provisions of the TSA Modernization Act and other efforts to advance aviation security to better serve the traveling public.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “Fishery Failures: Improving the Disaster Declaration and Relief Process,” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. This hearing will examine federal and stakeholder perspectives on the fishery disaster process and how those disasters impact local communities. The hearing will also examine recent and pending disaster declarations and how the process for both declaration and relief could be improved.