Hearings

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “New Entrants in the National Airspace: Policy, Technology, and Security Issues for Congress,” at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The hearing will examine the current state of our National Airspace System (NAS), the status of integration efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration for new entrants into the NAS, and the policy, technology, and security challenges that remain.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, chairman of the Subcommittee on Security, will convene a hearing titled, “Strengthening the Cybersecurity of the Internet of Things,” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. The hearing will examine the security threats and challenges posed by the Internet of Things (IoT), and ways to incentivize building more cybersecurity by design into connected devices and the networks that support them. The hearing will also examine the importance of 5G network security to connected devices and the manner in which the federal government, businesses community, and consumers can promote and support increased IoT cybersecurity.

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, will convene a hearing titled, “Pipeline Safety: Federal Oversight and Stakeholder Perspectives,” at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. The hearing will examine federal pipeline safety and federal oversight as the Commerce Committee considers reauthorization of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s pipeline safety program.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, chairman of the Subcommittee on Security, will convene a hearing titled, “Federal Maritime Agencies: Ensuring a Safe, Secure, and Competitive Future,” at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2019. This hearing will examine the President’s fiscal year 2020 budget request for the U.S. Coast Guard, the Maritime Administration, and the Federal Maritime Commission and the current operational successes and challenges before the agencies.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, will convene a hearing titled, “The State of Airline Safety: Federal Oversight of Commercial Aviation,” at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. In light of the recent tragedy in Ethiopia and the subsequent grounding of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft, this hearing will examine challenges to the state of commercial aviation safety, including any specific concerns highlighted by recent accidents.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection, will convene a hearing titled, “Small Business Perspectives on a Federal Data Privacy Framework,” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The hearing will focus on the data privacy issues that impact small businesses and the unique challenges they face with laws designed for larger companies.

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 Impact of Broadband Investments in Rural America,” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2019. The hearing will focus on the Federal Communications Commission’s order to improve the quality and expand availability of rural broadband. The subcommittee will also discuss opportunities and investments to support carriers in rural America, efforts to prevent overbuilding among federal broadband programs, and the next steps to close the digital divide.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, “The State of the American Maritime Industry,” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. The hearing will focus on the current state of the domestic maritime industry in anticipation of the FY20 budget request and discuss priorities for the Coast Guard and MARAD reauthorization bills.