Hearings

Hearings 12/7/2021
Subcommittee: Uncharted Waters: Challenges Posed by Ocean Shipping Supply Chains
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Gary Peters Blumenthal (D- MI), Chair of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports will convene a hearing titled, “Uncharted Waters: Challenges Posed by Ocean Shipping Supply Chains,” at 10:00 am on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. This hearing will examine the impacts of COVID-19 on the ocean shipping supply chain that have led businesses and consumers across the country to experience major delays and price increases. While the underlying issues are multifaceted, this hearing would look at some of the most timely problems being faced today. Specifically, the hearing will examine the business and operational practices around ocean shipping that have contributed to these challenges.
Hearings 12/1/2021
Executive Session and Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 to consider the following nominations:
Hearings 11/30/2021
Subcommittee: Hidden Holiday Hazards: Product Safety During the Holiday Season
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security will convene a hearing titled, “Hidden Holiday Hazards: Product Safety During the Holiday Season,” at 10:00 am on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. This hearing will address product safety concerns that often arise around the holidays, such as counterfeit toys with small parts that can be accidentally ingested, and malfunctioning holiday decorations can cause fire hazards, and legislative solutions that can address these dangers.
Hearings 11/17/2021
Executive Session and Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 to consider the following measures:
Hearings 11/3/2021
Implementation of Aviation Safety Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee hearing titled “Implementation of Aviation Safety Reform” at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, November 3, 2021. This hearing will examine the urgency of implementing aviation safety, certification, and oversight reforms mandated by the Aircraft, Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act (“ACSAA”) of 2020. The Committee will discuss the approach of the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) to effectuating ACSAA and its work to implement provisions of the legislation in accordance with congressionally-mandated timelines. Topics such as the FAA’s delegation and certification processes, safety culture, and systems oversight practices since the passage of ACSAA will be covered.
Hearings 10/26/2021
Subcommittee: Protecting Kids Online: Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security will convene a hearing titled “Protecting Kids Online: Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube” at 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Children and teens face immense peer pressure to be on apps such as Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. While social media can provide entertainment and educational opportunities, these apps have also been misused to harm kids and promote destructive acts, such as vandalism in schools, deadly viral challenges, bullying, eating disorders, manipulative influencer marketing, and grooming. This hearing will examine how tech companies treat young audiences, including how algorithms and product design choices can amplify harms, addiction, and intrusions into privacy. The hearing will also explore needed improvements to our laws to protect children and teenagers online.
Hearings 10/21/2021
Subcommittee: International Collaboration and Competition in Space: Oversight of NASA’s Role and Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chair of the Subcommittee on Space and Science, will convene a subcommittee hearing titled “International Collaboration and Competition in Space: Oversight of NASA’s Role and Programs” at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, October 21, 2021. The United States has long been the global leader in space exploration and has benefitted from robust, peaceful international collaboration. This hearing will examine required actions, particularly at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to promote U.S. civil and commercial space sector competitiveness, attract and maintain strong global partnerships, and preserve U.S. space leadership in the wake of rising international competition. Topics such as International Space Station extension, commercial low-Earth orbit (LEO) development, and requirements to execute NASA’s Artemis program, to include needed updates to authorizing legislation, will be considered.
Hearings 10/20/2021
Executive Session and Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 to consider the presidential nominations of Victoria Marie Wassmer, to be the Chief Financial Officer, DOT; Mohsin Raza Syed, to be Assistant Secretary for Government Affairs, DOT; Amitabha Bose, to be the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, DOT; Meera Joshi to be the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Mary Boyle, to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; and Rear Admiral Nancy Hann, to be Director, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. Immediately following the executive session, the Committee will hold a hearing to consider the presidential nominations of Max Vekich to be a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission; Christopher Coes to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, DOT; and Laurie E. Locascio, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, DOC.
Hearings 10/19/2021
Subcommittee: Coast Guard Oversight
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change, and Manufacturing , will convene a hearing titled “Coast Guard Oversight” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 19, 2021. This hearing will examine the Coast Guard’s role to safeguard our nation’s maritime interests to include budget oversight, oil spill response, marine safety, handling of sexual assault and harassment in the service, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Hearings 10/7/2021
Subcommittee: State of Telehealth: Removing Barriers to Access and Improving Patient Outcomes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), the Chair of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, will convene a hearing titled “State of Telehealth: Removing Barriers to Access and Improving Patient Outcomes” at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 7, 2021. The hearing will examine the importance of access to telehealth services, the utilization and changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the critical role of access to broadband in the public health response, and how to structure future deployment and policy to address the needs of underserved communities.
Hearings 10/6/2021
Enhancing Data Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee hearing titled “Enhancing Data Security” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. This hearing is the second in a series examining the growing urgency to protect consumer privacy and safeguard our data, as well as the need to ensure the Federal Trade Commission is equipped with the authorities and resources to fight digital harms and hold bad actors accountable for increasing privacy violations, data breaches, internet scams, ransomware assaults and other harmful data abuses.
Hearings 10/5/2021
Subcommittee: Protecting Kids Online: Testimony from a Facebook Whistleblower
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security will convene a hearing titled “Protecting Kids Online: Testimony from a Facebook Whistleblower” at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 5, 2021. Recent Wall Street Journal investigations have revealed troubling insights regarding how Instagram affects teenagers, how it handles children onto the platform, and other consumer protection matters related to Facebook. The hearing will provide an opportunity for a Facebook whistleblower to discuss their perspective and experience with the Subcommittee, including how to update children’s privacy regulations and other laws to protect consumers online.
Hearings 09/30/2021
Subcommittee: Protecting Kids Online: Facebook, Instagram, and Mental Health Harms
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security will convene a hearing titled “Protecting Kids Online: Facebook, Instagram, and Mental Health Harms” at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 30, 2021. Children and teens face immense peer pressure and social expectations to broadcast their lives online. Recent Wall Street Journal investigations have revealed troubling insights regarding what Facebook knows about how Instagram affects young users, including their mental health. This hearing will cover Facebook’s research into the impact of its apps on young audiences, its actions to address threats to these users, and policy considerations to safeguard kids online.
Hearings 09/29/2021
Protecting Consumer Privacy
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will convene a hearing titled “Protecting Consumer Privacy” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. This hearing will examine how to better safeguard consumer privacy rights, including by equipping the Federal Trade Commission with the resources it needs to protect consumer privacy through the creation of a privacy bureau; and the need for a comprehensive federal privacy law.
Hearings 09/22/2021
Executive Session and Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 to consider the presidential nominations of Alexander Hoehn-Saric to be a Commissioner and Chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Mary T. Boyle to be a Commissioner of the CPSC; Richard Trumka, Jr. to be a Commissioner of the CPSC; and Grant Harris to be Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis at the Department of Commerce.
Hearings 09/21/2021
Subcommittee: Legislative Solutions to Revive Travel and Tourism and Create Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chair of the Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion will convene a hearing titled “Legislative Solutions to Revive Travel and Tourism and Create Jobs” at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. This hearing will examine a staff discussion draft of bipartisan legislation, the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act of 2021, that would support the recovery of the travel and tourism economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The draft Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act includes provisions to study the impacts of COVD-19 on the travel and tourism industry, elevate travel and tourism matters at the US Department of Commerce, promote travel to the United States, and set visitation goals for international travelers to the United States.
Hearings 08/23/2021
POSTPONED: Commerce Committee Announces August 23 Subcommittee Field Hearing on Space and Science in Colorado Springs, CO
POSTPONED— The Subcommittee on Space and Science field hearing titled “Collaboration and Competition in Space: Ushering in a New Era” originally scheduled for Monday, August 23, 2021 at 2pm MDT in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been postponed until a later date.
Hearings 08/4/2021
Executive Session
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, to consider the following measures and nominations:
Hearings 08/3/2021
Subcommittee: Toxic Marketing Claims and Their Dangers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, will convene a hearing titled, “Toxic Marketing Claims and Their Dangers” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. The hearing will address, among other topics, how alleged deceptive marketing practices and claims may have fueled the proliferation of unsafe products among vulnerable populations in the United States, particularly those of e-cigarettes and vaporizers among youth and current smokers looking for cessation tools.
Hearings 07/28/2021
Nomination Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee hearing at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday July 28, 2021 to consider the presidential nominations of Alexander Hoehn-Saric to be a Commissioner and Chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Mary T. Boyle to be a Commissioner of the CPSC; Richard Trumka, Jr. to be a Commissioner of the CPSC; and Grant Harris to be Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis at the Department of Commerce.