Senate Report 115-18 - LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

[Senate Report 115-18]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 115-18

_______________________________________________________________________

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

UNITED STATES SENATE

during the

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

Pursuant to

Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the

United States Senate

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

March 30, 2017.--Ordered to be printed
______

U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

69-010 WASHINGTON : 2017

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida
ROY BLUNT, Missouri MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
TED CRUZ, Texas AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
JERRY MORAN, Kansas BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DEAN HELLER, Nevada CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey
JIM INHOFE, Oklahoma TOM UDALL, New Mexico
MIKE LEE, Utah GARY PETERS, Michigan
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
Virginia
CORY GARDNER, Colorado MARGARETWOODHASSAN,NewHampshire
TODD C. YOUNG, Indiana CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada

Nick Rossi, Staff Director

Kim Lipsky, Minority Staff Director

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida
ROY BLUNT, Missouri MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
MARCO RUBIO, Florida CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri
KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
TED CRUZ, Texas RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin TOM UDALL, New Mexico
DEAN HELLER, Nevada JOE MANCHIN, III, West Virginia
CORY GARDNER, Colorado GARY PETERS, Michigan
STEVE DAINES, Montana

Nick Rossi, Staff Director

Kim Lipsky, Minority Staff Director

C O N T E N T S

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Page
Introduction:
Summary...................................................... 1
Jurisdiction................................................. 1
A. Legislation
Bills Referred to Committee.................................. 2
Resolutions Referred to Committee............................ 19
B. Nominations
Nominations by the Numbers................................... 21
Hearings..................................................... 22
C. Full Committee
Executive Sessions........................................... 23
D. Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
Activities................................................... 29
Hearings..................................................... 29
E. Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the
Internet
Activities................................................... 30
Hearings..................................................... 31
F. Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety,
Insurance, and Data Security
Activities................................................... 32
Hearings..................................................... 33
G. Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
Activities................................................... 34
Hearings..................................................... 35
H. Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness
Activities................................................... 35
Hearings..................................................... 36
I. Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine
Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
Activities................................................... 37
Hearings..................................................... 38

115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 115-18

======================================================================

REPORT ON THE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE,
AND TRANSPORTATION DURING THE 114TH CONGRESS

_______

March 30, 2017.--Ordered to be printed

_______

Mr. Thune, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
submitted the following:

REPORT ON LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES

Summary

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
conducted a legislative and oversight program during the 114th
Congress. A total of 289 bills, 19 resolutions, 1370
nominations, including promotions, and 2337 executive
communications were referred to the Committee for
consideration.
The Committee and its subcommittees held a total of 80
public hearings, including 7 nominations hearings, during the
114th Congress. The Committee also held 17 Executive Sessions
and filed 69 committee reports.
Action was completed on a broad range of oversight,
legislative, and executive matters. A total of 84 bills and 9
resolutions were reported or discharged by the Committee.
Notably, 18\1\ of the reported or discharged bills were enacted
as stand-alone measures; 27 of the reported or discharged bills
were enacted, in whole or in part, as part of other
legislation; and 17 bills were considered and enacted, in whole
or in part, as part of other legislation. In addition, 8 of the
discharged resolutions were agreed to in the Senate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\H.R.34 served as the vehicle for 21st Century Cures Act, and
S.764 served as the vehicle for a bill to amend the Agricultural
Marketing Act of 1946.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Members and staff made individual trips abroad and
participated in conferences, further exercising the legislative
oversight responsibilities of the Committee.

Jurisdiction

Pursuant to Rule XXV(1)(f)(1) of the Standing Rules of the
United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages,
petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the
following subjects are referred to the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

1. Coast Guard.
2. Coastal zone management.
3. Communications.
4. Highway Safety.
5. Inland waterways, except construction.
6. Interstate commerce.
7. Marine and ocean navigation, safety, and
transportation, including navigational aspects of
deepwater ports.
8. Marine fisheries.
9. Merchant marine and navigation.
10. Nonmilitary aeronautical and space sciences.
11. Oceans, weather, and atmospheric activities.
12. Panama Canal and interoceanic canals generally,
except as provided in subparagraph (c) of Rule XXV(1).
13. Regulation of consumer products and services,
including testing related to toxic substances, other
than pesticides, and except for credit, financial
services, and housing.
14. Regulation of interstate common carriers, including
railroads, buses, trucks, vessels, pipelines, and civil
aviation.
15. Science, engineering, and technology research and
development and policy.
16. Sports.
17. Standards and measurement.
18. Transportation.
19. Transportation and commerce aspects of Outer
Continental Shelf lands.

A. Legislation

Bills Referred to Committee

Bills:
Referred to Committee......................................... 289
Original measures from Committee.............................. 0
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 289

Reported/discharged........................................... 84
Reported/discharged and enacted as stand-alone measure........ 18
Reported/discharged and enacted, in whole or in part, as part
of other legislation........................................ 27
Enacted, in whole or in part, as part of other legislation.... 17
*Reported/discharged
**Reported/discharged and enacted as stand-alone
measure
*Reported/discharged and enacted as part of other
legislation
Enacted, in whole or in part, as part of other
legislation

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number Title as Introduced
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R.23** To reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-52)
H.R.34** To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning,
research, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-255)
H.R.710** To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare a comprehensive
security assessment of the transportation security card program, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-278)
H.R.719** To require the Transportation Security Administration to conform to
existing Federal law and regulations regarding criminal investigator
positions, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-53)
H.R.720** To improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during
security incidents at domestic airports, and for other purposes. (P.L.
114-50)
H.R.734 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to consolidate the reporting
obligations of the Federal Communications Commission in order to improve
congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens.
H.R.749 To reauthorize Federal support for passenger rail programs, and for other
purposes.
H.R.774** To strengthen enforcement mechanisms to stop illegal, unreported, and
unregulated fishing, to amend the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 to
implement the Antigua Convention, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-81)
H.R.805 To prohibit the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration from relinquishing responsibility over the Internet
domain name system until the Comptroller General of the United States
submits to Congress a report on the role of the NTIA with respect to
such system.
H.R.810 To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and for other purposes.
H.R.1020** To define STEM education to include computer science, and to support
existing STEM education programs at the National Science Foundation.
(P.L. 114-59)
H.R.1119 To improve the efficiency of Federal research and development, and for
other purposes.
H.R.1162 To make technical changes to provisions authorizing prize competitions
under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980.
H.R.1335 To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to
provide flexibility for fishery managers and stability for fishermen,
and for other purposes.
H.R.1561* To improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's weather
research through a focused program of investment on affordable and
attainable advances in observational, computing, and modeling
capabilities to support substantial improvement in weather forecasting
and prediction of high impact weather events, to expand commercial
opportunities for the provision of weather data, and for other purposes.
H.R.1806 To provide for technological innovation through the prioritization of
Federal investment in basic research, fundamental scientific discovery,
and development to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and
for other purposes.
H.R.1987 To authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2016 and
2017, and for other purposes.
H.R.2127 To direct the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
to limit access to expedited airport security screening at an airport
security checkpoint to participants of the PreCheck program and other
known low-risk passengers, and for other purposes.
H.R.2168 To make the current Dungeness crab fishery management regime permanent
and for other purposes.
H.R.2262** To facilitate a pro-growth environment for the developing commercial
space industry by encouraging private sector investment and creating
more stable and predictable regulatory conditions, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-90)
H.R.2583 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for greater
transparency and efficiency in the procedures followed by the Federal
Communications Commission, and for other purposes.
H.R.2589 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal
Communications Commission to publish on its Internet website the text of
any item that is adopted by vote of the Commission not later than 24
hours after receipt of dissenting statements from all Commissioners
wishing to submit such a statement with respect to such item.
H.R.2669 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to expand and clarify the
prohibition on provision of inaccurate caller identification
information, and for other purposes.
H.R.2750 To reform programs of the Transportation Security Administration,
streamline transportation security regulations, and for other purposes.
H.R.2770 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require certain maintenance
of security-related technology at airports, and for other purposes.
H.R.2843* To require certain improvements in the Transportation Security
Administration's PreCheck expedited screening program, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-190)
H.R.3070 To clarify that for purposes of all Federal laws governing marine
fisheries management, the landward boundary of the exclusive economic
zone between areas south of Montauk, New York, and Point Judith, Rhode
Island, and for other purposes.
H.R.3102 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reform programs of the
Transportation Security Administration, streamline transportation
security regulations, and for other purposes.
H.R.3144 To require consultation with the Aviation Security Advisory Committee
regarding modifications to the prohibited item list, require a report on
the Transportation Security Oversight Board, and for other purposes.
H.R.3584 To authorize, streamline, and identify efficiencies within the
Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes.
H.R.3878 To enhance cybersecurity information sharing and coordination at ports in
the United States, and for other purposes.
H.R.3998 To direct the Federal Communications Commission to commence proceedings
related to the resiliency of critical telecommunications networks during
times of emergency, and for other purposes.
H.R.4167 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone
systems to have a default configuration that permits users to directly
initiate a call to 9-1-1 without dialing any additional digit, code,
prefix, or post-fix, and for other purposes.
H.R.4369 To authorize the use of passenger facility charges at an airport
previously associated with the airport at which the charges are
collected.
H.R.4549 To require the Transportation Security Administration to conduct security
screening at certain airports, and for other purposes.
H.R.4596 To ensure that small business providers of broadband Internet access
service can devote resources to broadband deployment rather than
compliance with cumbersome regulatory requirements.
H.R.4698 To enhance aviation by requiring airport security assessments and a
security coordination enhancement plan, and for other purposes. (P.L.
114-190)
H.R.4742* To authorize the National Science Foundation to support entrepreneurial
programs for women.
H.R.4755* To inspire women to enter the aerospace field, including science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, through mentorship and
outreach.
H.R.5056 To modernize and enhance airport perimeter and access control security by
requiring updated risk assessments and the development of security
strategies, and for other purposes.
H.R.5065** To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify air carriers and
security screening personnel of the Transportation Security
Administration of such Administration's guidelines regarding permitting
baby formula, breast milk, and juice on airplanes, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-293)
H.R.5104 To prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice in commerce, the
sale or use of certain software to circumvent control measures used by
Internet ticket sellers to ensure equitable consumer access to tickets
for any given event, and for other purposes.
H.R.5312 To amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 to authorize
activities for support of networking and information technology
research, and for other purposes.
H.R.5338 To reduce passenger wait times at airports, and for other purposes.
H.R.5636 To increase the effectiveness of and accountability for maintaining the
physical security of NIST facilities and the safety of the NIST
workforce.
H.R.5639 To update the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act, and for
other purposes.
H.R.5978 To amend title 14, United States Code, to clarify the functions of the
Chief Acquisition Officer of the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.
H.R.6014** To direct the Federal Aviation Administration to allow certain
construction or alteration of structures by State departments of
transportation without requiring an aeronautical study, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-307)
S.40 To direct the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations
that prohibit certain preferential treatment or prioritization of
Internet traffic.
S.56 To prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service
through the Lifeline program.
S.105 To permit management of the red snapper by Gulf Coast States and for
other purposes.
S.127 To prohibit Federal funding for motorcycle checkpoints, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.135 To prohibit Federal agencies from mandating the deployment of
vulnerabilities in data security technologies.
S.142** To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a rule to
require child safety packaging for liquid nicotine containers, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-116)
S.143* To allow for improvements to the United States Merchant Marine Academy
and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-92)
S.177 To protect consumers by requiring reasonable security policies and
procedures to protect data containing personal information, and to
provide for nationwide notice in the event of a breach of security.
S.206 To amend title 23, United States Code, to reauthorize the State
infrastructure bank program.
S.213 To improve requirements for entering into commerce of imitation firearms,
and for other purposes.
S.239 To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to apportionments
under the Airport Improvement Program, and for other purposes.
S.240 To promote competition, to preserve the ability of local governments to
provide broadband capability and services, and for other purposes.
S.253* To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to consolidate the reporting
obligations of the Federal Communications Commission in order to improve
congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens.
S.304* To improve motor vehicle safety by encouraging the sharing of certain
information. (P.L. 114-94)
S.373* To provide for the establishment of nationally uniform and
environmentally sound standards governing discharges incidental to the
normal operation of a vessel.
S.387 To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
use the definitions in section 40125 of title 49, United States Code, in
determining whether an unmanned aircraft conducting aeronautical
research flights qualifies for public aircraft status under that
section, and for other purposes.
S.417 To encourage spectrum licensees to make unused spectrum available for use
by rural and smaller carriers in order to expand wireless coverage.
S.421* To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for greater
transparency and efficiency in the procedures followed by the Federal
Communications Commission, and for other purposes.
S.424 To promote unlicensed spectrum use in the 5 GHz band, to maximize the use
of the band for shared purposes in order to bolster innovation and
economic development, and for other purposes.
S.430 To prohibit the marketing of electronic cigarettes to children, and for
other purposes.
S.443 To prohibit the long-term storage of rail cars on certain railroad tracks
unless the Surface Transportation Board has approved the rail carrier's
rail car storage plan.
S.532 To improve highway-rail grade crossing safety, and for other purposes.
S.533 To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning,
research, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and for other purposes.
S.547 To establish a regulatory framework for the comprehensive protection of
personal data for individuals under the aegis of the Federal Trade
Commission, to amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of
1998 to improve provisions relating to collection, use, and disclosure
of personal information of children, and for other purposes.
S.561 To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the
importation of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before
the date on which the polar bear was determined to be a threatened
species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
S.567 To protect the right of law-abiding citizens to transport knives
interstate, notwithstanding a patchwork of local and State prohibitions.
S.571* To amend the Pilot's Bill of Rights to facilitate appeals and to apply to
other certificates issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, to
require the revision of the third class medical certification
regulations issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-190)
S.573 To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
issue or revise regulations with respect to the medical certification of
certain small aircraft pilots, and for other purposes.
S.588 To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a consumer
product safety standard for liquid detergent packets to protect children
under the age of five from injury or illness, and for other purposes.
S.592 To improve the transition between experimental permits and commercial
licenses for commercial reusable launch vehicles. (P.L. 114-94)
S.597 To amend section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to provide
that such section does not authorize the Federal Communications
Commission to preempt the laws of certain States relating to the
regulation of municipal broadband, and for other purposes.
S.617 To ensure that owners of all motor vehicles in use on United States
roadways are made aware of, and obtain repairs for, manufacturer-issued
safety recalls in a timely manner.
S.635 To amend the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to provide guidance
and limitations regarding the integration of unmanned aircraft systems
into United States airspace, and for other purposes.
S.650* To extend the positive train control system implementation deadline, and
for other purposes. (P.L. 114-73)
S.654 To exempt certain class A CDL drivers from the requirement to obtain a
hazardous material endorsement while operating a service vehicle with a
fuel tank containing 3,785 liters (1,000 gallons) or less of diesel
fuel.
S.668 To require data brokers to establish procedures to ensure the accuracy of
collected personal information, and for other purposes.
S.685 To prescribe safety standards for autocycles and related equipment, and
for other purposes.
S.712 To amend title 49, United States Code, to exempt certain flights from
increased aviation security service fees.
S.734 To provide for the equitable distribution of Universal Service funds to
rural States.
S.740 To improve the coordination and use of geospatial data.
S.760 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize a bipartisan
majority of Commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission to
hold nonpublic collaborative discussions.
S.764** To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and
for other purposes. (P.L. 114-216)
S.766* To limit the retrieval of data from vehicle event data recorders, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.769 To streamline the permit process for rail and transit infrastructure.
(P.L. 114-94)
S.787 To streamline the collection and distribution of government information.
S.797 To amend the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976,
and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.806* To amend section 31306 of title 49, United States Code, to recognize hair
as an alternative specimen for preemployment and random controlled
substances testing of commercial motor vehicle drivers and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.808** To establish the Surface Transportation Board as an independent
establishment, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-110)
S.827* To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure the integrity of voice
communications and to prevent unjust or unreasonable discrimination
among areas of the United States in the delivery of such communications.
S.834* To amend the law relating to sport fish restoration and recreational
boating safety, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.850 To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the transportation of
horses in interstate transportation in a motor vehicle containing 2 or
more levels stacked on top of one another.
S.853 To improve the efficiency and reliability of rail transportation by
reforming the Surface Transportation Board, and for other purposes.
S.859 To protect the public, communities across America, and the environment by
increasing the safety of crude oil transportation by railroad, and for
other purposes.
S.887 To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to provide incentives for the reallocation of Federal
Government spectrum for commercial use, and for other purposes.
S.900 To require auto dealers to fix outstanding safety recalls before selling
or leasing a used passenger motor vehicle.
S.911 To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
issue an order with respect to secondary cockpit barriers, and for other
purposes.
S.946 To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the transportation of
horses in interstate transportation in a motor vehicle containing 2 or
more levels stacked on top of one another.
S.961 To protect information relating to consumers, to require notice of
security breaches, and for other purposes.
S.976 To promote the development of a United States commercial space resource
exploration and utilization industry and to increase the exploration and
utilization of resources in outer space. (P.L. 114-90)
S.1006 To incentivize early adoption of positive train control, and for other
purposes.
S.1027 To require notification of information security breaches and to enhance
penalties for cyber criminals, and for other purposes.
S.1040* To direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Academy
of Sciences to study the vehicle handling requirements proposed by the
Commission for recreational off-highway vehicles and to prohibit the
adoption of any such requirements until the completion of the study, and
for other purposes. (P.L. 114-113)
S.1043 To ensure that transportation and infrastructure projects carried out
using Federal financial assistance are constructed with steel, iron, and
manufactured goods that are produced in the United States, and for other
purposes.
S.1076 To require mobile service providers and smartphone manufacturers to give
consumers the ability to remotely delete data from smartphones and
render smartphones inoperable.
S.1087 To require Amtrak to propose a pet policy that allows passengers to
transport domesticated cats and dogs on certain Amtrak trains, and for
other purposes.
S.1107 To provide for an equitable management of summer flounder based on
geographic, scientific, and economic data and for other purposes.
S.1114 To enhance rail safety and provide for the safe transport of hazardous
materials, and for other purposes.
S.1121 To amend the Horse Protection Act to designate additional unlawful acts
under the Act, strengthen penalties for violations of the Act, improve
Department of Agriculture enforcement of the Act, and for other
purposes.
S.1143* To make the authority of States of Washington, Oregon, and California to
manage Dungeness crab fishery permanent and for other purposes.
S.1161 To amend the Horse Protection Act to provide increased protection for
horses participating in shows, exhibitions, or sales, and for other
purposes.
S.1173 To amend chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the
rental of motor vehicles that contain a defect related to motor vehicle
safety, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1174 To deregulate interstate commerce with respect to parimutuel wagering on
horseracing, and for other purposes.
S.1182* To exempt application of JSA attribution rule in case of existing
agreements. (P.L. 114-113)
S.1191 To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to convey certain property
from the United States to the County of Marin, California.
S.1200 To promote competition and help consumers save money by giving them the
freedom to choose where they buy prescription pet medications, and for
other purposes.
S.1208 To amend title 49, United States Code, to require gas pipeline facilities
to accelerate the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of high-risk
pipelines used in commerce, and for other purposes.
S.1209 To establish State revolving loan funds to repair or replace natural gas
distribution pipelines.
S.1244 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish signal quality and
content requirements for the carriage of public, educational, and
governmental channels, to preserve support of such channels, and for
other purposes.
S.1250* To encourage States to require the installation of residential carbon
monoxide detectors in homes, and for other purposes.
S.1251* To implement the Amendment to the Convention on Future Multilateral
Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, as adopted at Lisbon,
Portugal on September 28, 2007. (P.L. 114-327)
S.1260 To direct the Federal Communications Commission to revise and update its
sponsorship identification rules applicable to commercial and political
advertising.
S.1261 To ensure that methods of collecting taxes and fees by private citizens
on behalf of State and local governments are fair and effective and do
not discriminate against interstate commerce for wireless
telecommunications services.
S.1297* To update the Commercial Space Launch Act by amending title 51, United
States Code, to promote competitiveness of the U.S. commercial space
sector, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-90)
S.1298* To provide nationally consistent measures of performance of the Nation's
ports, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1314 To establish an interim rule for the operation of small unmanned aircraft
for commercial purposes and their safe integration into the national
airspace system.
S.1315* To protect the right of law-abiding citizens to transport knives
interstate, notwithstanding a patchwork of local and State prohibitions.
S.1326* To amend certain maritime programs of the Department of Transportation,
and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-92)
S.1331* To help enhance commerce through improved seasonal forecasts, and for
other purposes.
S.1334* To strengthen enforcement mechanisms to stop illegal, unreported, and
unregulated fishing, to amend the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 to
implement the Antigua Convention, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-81)
S.1335* To implement the Convention on the Conservation and Management of the
High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean, as adopted at
Tokyo on February 24, 2012, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-327)
S.1336* To implement the Convention on the Conservation and Management of the
High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean, as adopted at
Auckland on November 14, 2009, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-327)
S.1343 To require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to maintain a project to improve hurricane forecasting,
and for other purposes.
S.1359** To allow manufacturers to meet warranty and labeling requirements for
consumer products by displaying the terms of warranties on Internet
websites, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-51)
S.1360 To amend the limitation on liability for passenger rail accidents or
incidents under section 28103 of title 49, United States Code, and for
other purposes.
S.1403* To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to
promote sustainable conservation and management for the Gulf of Mexico
and South Atlantic fisheries and the communities that rely on them, and
for other purposes.
S.1414 To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to
add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
S.1430 To improve the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the Coast Guard, and coastal States to sustain healthy
ocean and coastal ecosystems by maintaining and sustaining their
capabilities relating to oil spill preparedness, prevention, response,
and for other purposes.
S.1433 To amend title 23, United States Code, to improve highway safety and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1447 To provide for the implementation of a Sustainable Chemistry Program, and
for other purposes.
S.1454 To enhance interstate commerce by creating a National Hiring Standard for
Motor Carriers.
S.1462 To improve the safety of oil shipments by rail and for other purposes.
S.1464 To require all recreational vessels to have and to post passenger
capacity limits and for other purposes.
S.1467 To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish new standards for
automobile hoods and bumpers to reduce pedestrian injuries, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1472 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reform and modernize the
Universal Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program.
S.1474 To provide for the development and use of technology for personalized
handguns, to require that all handguns manufactured or sold in, or
imported into, the United States incorporate such technology, and for
other purposes.
S.1490* To establish an advisory office within the Bureau of Consumer Protection
of the Federal Trade Commission to prevent fraud targeting seniors, and
for other purposes.
S.1511 To promote the recycling of vessels in the United States and for other
purposes.
S.1518* To make exclusive the authority of the Federal Government to regulate the
labeling of products made in the United States and introduced in
interstate or foreign commerce, and for other purposes.
S.1519* To amend the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 to address slowdowns,
strikes, and lock-outs occurring at ports in the United States, and for
other purposes.
S.1524 To enable concrete masonry products manufacturers to establish, finance,
and carry out a coordinated program of research, education, and
promotion to improve, maintain, and develop markets for concrete masonry
products.
S.1535 To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to passenger motor
vehicle crash avoidance information, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-
94)
S.1540 To improve the enforcement of prohibitions on robocalls, including
fraudulent robocalls.
S.1545 To require a quarterly report by the Federal Communications Commission on
the Lifeline program funded by the Universal Service Fund.
S.1551* To provide for certain requirements relating to the Internet Assigned
Numbers Authority stewardship transition.
S.1563 To amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to extend,
enhance, and revise the provisions relating to collection, use, and
disclosure of personal information of children, to establish certain
other protections for personal information of children and minors, and
for other purposes.
S.1573* To establish regional weather forecast offices, and for other purposes.
S.1594 To improve the Federal flight deck officers program, and for other
purposes.
S.1608 To protect the safety of the national airspace system from the hazardous
operation of consumer drones, and for other purposes.
S.1611* To authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2016 and
2017, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-120)
S.1612 To require the Secretary of Transportation to modify the final rule
relating to flightcrew member duty and rest requirements for passenger
operations of air carriers to apply to all-cargo operations of air
carriers, and for other purposes.
S.1618 To reallocate Federal Government-held spectrum for commercial use, to
promote wireless innovation and enhance wireless communications, and for
other purposes.
S.1621 To prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service and
Internet access service through the Lifeline program.
S.1626* To reauthorize Federal support for passenger rail programs, improve
safety, streamline rail project delivery, and for other purposes. (P.L.
114-94)
S.1636 To streamline the collection and distribution of Government information.
S.1669 To reform the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1673 To improve passenger vessel security and safety, and for other purposes.
S.1680 To improve the condition and performance of the national multimodal
freight network, and for other purposes.
S.1685* To direct the Federal Communications Commission to extend to private land
use restrictions its rule relating to reasonable accommodation of
amateur service communications.
S.1692 To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify the use of a towaway
trailer transportation combination, and for other purposes.
S.1717* To amend title 46, United States Code, to exempt old vessels that only
operate within inland waterways from the fire-retardant materials
requirement if the owners of such vessels make annual structural
alterations to at least 10 percent of the areas of the vessels that are
not constructed of fire-retardant materials.
S.1732* To authorize elements of the Department of Transportation, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1739 To increase the minimum levels of financial responsibility for
transporting property, and for other purposes.
S.1741 To establish tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards, improve
tire registration, help consumers identify recalled tires, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-94)
S.1743 To provide greater transparency, accountability, and safety authority to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and for other
purposes.
S.1748 To provide for improved investment in national transportation
infrastructure.
S.1759 To prevent caller ID spoofing, and for other purposes.
S.1768 To authorize States to enforce pipeline safety requirements related to
wellbores at interstate storage facilities.
S.1788 To require operators that provide online and similar services to
educational agencies, institutions, or programs to protect the privacy
and security of personally identifiable information, and for other
purposes.
S.1806 To protect consumers from security and privacy threats to their motor
vehicles, and for other purposes.
S.1829 To require a report on requirements and risks in connection with the use
of radioisotopic power systems for space exploration beyond low-Earth
orbit.
S.1886* To reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of
2009 and for other purposes.
S.1916* To include skilled nursing facilities as a type of health care provider
under section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934. (P.L. 114-182)
S.1935* To require the Secretary of Commerce to undertake certain activities to
support waterfront community revitalization and resiliency.
S.1956 To require the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere to conduct an
assessment of cultural and historic resources in the waters of the Great
Lakes, and for other purposes.
S.1972 To require air carriers to modify certain policies with respect to the
use of epinephrine for in-flight emergencies, and for other purposes.
S.1976 To prohibit the distribution in commerce of children's products and
upholstered furniture containing certain flame retardants, and for other
purposes.
S.1999 To authorize the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating to act, without liability for certain damages, to prevent and
respond to the threat of damage from pollution of the sea by crude oil,
and for other purposes.
S.2025 To promote the protection and conservation of United States ocean,
coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems, and for other purposes.
S.2044* To prohibit the use of certain clauses in form contracts that restrict
the ability of a consumer to communicate regarding the goods or services
offered in interstate commerce that were the subject of the contract,
and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-258)
S.2047 To terminate the independent third-party program for sectors of the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery unless the program is fully funded by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and for other purposes.
S.2058* To require the Secretary of Commerce to maintain and operate at least one
Doppler weather radar site within 55 miles of each city in the United
States that has a population of more than 700,000 individuals, and for
other purposes.
S.2080 To amend title 49, United States Code, to enhance pipeline safety, to
provide communities with access to improved information concerning the
equipment and operations of pipeline facilities, and for other purposes.
S.2100 To prohibit the sale or distribution of tobacco products to individuals
under the age of 21.
S.2113 To harness the expertise, ingenuity, and creativity of all people to
contribute to innovation in the United States and to help solve problems
or scientific questions by encouraging and increasing the use of
crowdsourcing and citizen science methods within the Federal Government,
as appropriate, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-329)
S.2206* To reduce the incidence of sexual harassment and assault at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to reauthorize the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of
2002, and to reauthorize the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of
1998, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-328)
S.2211 To authorize additional uses of the Spectrum Relocation Fund.
S.2219* To require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an assessment and
analysis of the outdoor recreation economy of the United States, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-249)
S.2227 To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to permit the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration to authorize Federal agencies to accept
certain payments related to spectrum efficiency and reallocation, and
for other purposes.
S.2235 To repeal debt collection amendments made by the Bipartisan Budget Act of
2015.
S.2276** To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide enhanced safety in
pipeline transportation, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-183)
S.2278 To promote the availability of additional unlicensed spectrum for
innovation and investment, and for other purposes.
S.2283* To ensure that small business providers of broadband Internet access
service can devote resources to broadband deployment rather than
compliance with cumbersome regulatory requirements.
S.2319* To amend the Communications Act of 1934.
S.2325* To require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a
constituent-driven program to provide a digital information platform
capable of efficiently integrating coastal data with decision-support
tools, training, and best practices and to support collection of
priority coastal geospatial data to inform and improve local, State,
regional, and Federal capacities to manage the coastal region, and for
other purposes.
S.2361* To enhance airport security, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-190)
S.2366 To promote innovation, investment, and economic growth by accelerating
spectrum efficiency through a challenge prize competition.
S.2404 To require the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe regulations
regarding the collection and use of personal information obtained by
tracking the online activity of an individual, and for other purposes.
S.2406 To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
review certain decisions to grant categorical exclusions for Next
Generation flight procedures and to consult with the airports at which
such procedures will be implemented.
S.2413 To prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices relating to the prices
of products and services sold online, and for other purposes.
S.2442 To authorize the use of passenger facility charges at an airport
previously associated with the airport at which the charges are
collected.
S.2508* To reduce sports-related concussions in youth, and for other purposes.
S.2526 To improve the competitiveness of United States manufacturing by
designating and supporting manufacturing communities, and for other
purposes.
S.2528 To promote the safe manufacture, use, and transportation of lithium
batteries and cells, and for other purposes.
S.2536 To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the inclusion in
aircraft medical kits of medications and equipment to meet the emergency
medical needs of children.
S.2547 To increase the maximum penalty for unfair and deceptive practices
relating to advertising of the costs of air transportation.
S.2549 To require the Transportation Security Administration to conduct security
screening at certain airports, and for other purposes.
S.2553 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone
systems to have a default configuration that permits users to directly
initiate a call to 9-1-1 without dialing any additional digit, code,
prefix, or post-fix, and for other purposes.
S.2555* To provide opportunities for broadband investment, and for other
purposes.
S.2558 To expand the prohibition on misleading or inaccurate caller
identification information, and for other purposes.
S.2571 To provide for the eligibility for airport development grants of airports
that enter into certain leases with components of the Armed Forces.
S.2585 To establish an airspace management advisory committee.
S.2593 To require the Secretary of Labor to maintain a publicly available list
of all employers that relocate a call center overseas, to make such
companies ineligible for Federal grants or guaranteed loans, and to
require disclosure of the physical location of business agents engaging
in customer service communications, and for other purposes.
S.2599 To prohibit unfair and deceptive advertising of hotel room rates, and for
other purposes.
S.2602 To prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from reclassifying
broadband Internet access service as a telecommunications service and
from imposing certain regulations on providers of such service.
S.2607* To ensure appropriate spectrum planning and interagency coordination to
support the Internet of Things.
S.2617 To provide for the development of a United States strategy for greater
human space exploration, and for other purposes.
S.2619 To require the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a pilot program on the
award of financial assistance to local governments to support the
development of startup businesses, and for other purposes.
S.2626 To authorize the operation of unmanned aircraft systems by institutions
of higher education for educational and research purposes.
S.2635 To enhance the ability of the United States to carry out icebreaking in
the polar regions and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-328)
S.2642 To require air carriers to provide training to certain employees and
contractors to combat human trafficking.
S.2644* To reauthorize the Federal Communications Commission for fiscal years
2017 and 2018, and for other purposes.
S.2656 To prohibit air carriers from imposing fees that are not reasonable and
proportional to the costs incurred by the air carriers, and for other
purposes.
S.2658* To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for
the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2016 through 2017,
and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-190)
S.2667 To designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a Regional Coordination
Partnership of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and
for other purposes.
S.2670 To provide for the operation of micro unmanned aircraft systems.
S.2683** To include disabled veteran leave in the personnel management system of
the Federal Aviation Administration. (P.L. 114-242)
S.2684 To provide for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems by owners and
operators of critical infrastructure.
S.2705 To authorize Federal agencies to establish prize competitions for
innovation or adaptation management development relating to coral reef
ecosystems and for other purposes.
S.2728 To facilitate the import of marine mammal products into the United States
by Alaska Natives.
S.2761 To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
improve the process for establishing and revising flight paths and
procedures, and for other purposes.
S.2764 To require the disclosure of information relating to cyberattacks on
aircraft systems and maintenance and ground support systems for
aircraft, to identify and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the
United States commercial aviation system, and for other purposes.
S.2769 To require the Federal Aviation Administration to establish minimum
standards for space for passengers on passenger aircraft.
S.2770 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require providers of a covered
service to provide call location information concerning the
telecommunications device of a user of such service to an investigative
or law enforcement officer in an emergency situation involving risk of
death or serious physical injury or in order to respond to the user's
call for emergency services.
S.2777 To modernize the prescription verification process for contact lenses, to
clarify consumer protections regarding false advertising of contact
lenses, and for other purposes.
S.2779 To reauthorize the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-329)
S.2798 To amend title 49, United States Code, to terminate the essential air
service program, and for other purposes.
S.2817* To improve understanding and forecasting of space weather events, and for
other purposes.
S.2829* To amend and enhance certain maritime programs of the Department of
Transportation, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-328)
S.2880 To prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice, commercial
sexual orientation conversion therapy, and for other purposes.
S.2926 To make technical changes to provisions authorizing prize competitions
under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, and for
other purposes. (P.L. 114-329)
S.2963 To provide for grants to clean technology consortia to enhance the
economic, environmental, and energy security of the United States by
promoting domestic development, manufacture, and deployment of clean
technologies, and for other purposes.
S.2987 To require the Transportation Security Administration to establish pilot
programs to develop and test airport security systems, and for other
purposes. (P.L. 114-190)
S.2997* To direct the Federal Communications Commission to commence proceedings
related to the resiliency of critical telecommunications networks during
times of emergency, and for other purposes.
S.3026 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to expand and clarify the
prohibition on inaccurate caller identification information and to
require providers of telephone service to offer technology to
subscribers to reduce the incidence of unwanted telephone calls, and for
other purposes.
S.3034 To prohibit the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration from allowing the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
functions contract to lapse unless specifically authorized to do so by
an Act of Congress.
S.3038* To reauthorize the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, and for other
purposes.
S.3046 To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a
consumer product safety rule for free-standing clothing storage units to
protect children from tip-over-related death or injury, and for other
purposes.
S.3059* To reauthorize and amend the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and
Response Grant Program and for other purposes.
S.3074 To authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
establish a Climate Change Education Program.
S.3084** To invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve
the competitiveness of the United States. (P.L. 114-329)
S.3086* To reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Act to promote international
action to reduce marine debris and for other purposes.
S.3087* To establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee to assist in the
awarding of fisheries research and development grants and for other
purposes.
S.3088* To provide a deadline for compliance with an alternate safety compliance
program and for other purposes.
S.3095 To prohibit sale of shark fins, and for other purposes.
S.3097* To establish the SelectUSA program, and for other purposes.
S.3099* To preserve and enhance saltwater fishing opportunities for recreational
anglers, and for other purposes.
S.3183** To prohibit the circumvention of control measures used by Internet ticket
sellers to ensure equitable consumer access to tickets for any given
event, and for other purposes. (P.L. 114-274)
S.3187 To increase the authorization of the National Transportation Safety Board
through fiscal year 2020, to require the NTSB to investigate major oil
and other hazardous materials derailments, to expand the Secretary of
Transportation's emergency order authority, and to require the Secretary
of Transportation to establish a volatility standard for crude oil
transported by rail.
S.3202 To facilitate the transport of additional hydrocarbons to extend the life
of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, to further American energy security,
and for other purposes.
S.3218 To remove the limitation on certain amounts for which large non-rural
hospitals may be reimbursed under the Healthcare Connect Fund of the
Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes.
S.3259 To establish scientific standards and protocols across forensic
disciplines, and for other purposes.
S.3265 To improve rail passenger safety by prohibiting individuals convicted of
driving under the influence from holding a license or certification
authorizing them to operate a commuter train.
S.3289 To prohibit scheduled passenger air transportation between the United
States and Cuba until a study has been completed regarding security
measures and equipment at Cuba's airports and certain agreements have
been established with the Government of Cuba, to amend title 49, United
States Code, to clarify the role of the Secretary of Homeland Security
regarding security standards at foreign airports, and for other
purposes.
S.3299 To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify air carriers and
security screening personnel of the Transportation Security
Administration of the guidelines of the Administration regarding
permitting baby formula, breast milk, and juice on aircraft, and for
other purposes.
S.3346* To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and for other purposes.
S.3379 To improve surface transportation and maritime security.
S.3402 To protect consumers from deceptive practices with respect to online
booking of hotel reservations, and for other purposes.
S.3421 To require air carriers to provide all flight attendants with scheduled
rest periods of at least 10 consecutive hours between duty periods and
to comply with fatigue management plans for flight attendants that have
been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.
S.3501 To require the Federal Communications Commission to submit to Congress a
report on promoting broadband Internet access service for veterans.
S.3502 To require the Federal Aviation Administration to establish annual
performance objectives and to hold the Chief NextGen Officer accountable
for meeting such objectives.
S.3525 To enhance the security operations of the Transportation Security
Administration and the stability of the transportation security
workforce by applying a unified personnel system under title 5, United
States Code, to employees of the Transportation Security Administration
who are responsible for screening passengers and property, and for other
purposes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Resolutions Referred to Committee

Resolutions:
Referred to Committee......................................... 19
Original measures from Committee.............................. 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 20

Reported/Discharged........................................... 9
Reported/Discharged and agreed to in the Senate............... 8
*Reported/Discharged
**Reported/Discharged and agreed to in the Senate

B. Nominations

Nominations by the Numbers

There were 1370 presidential nominations, including
promotions, referred to the Committee during the 114th
Congress.

Referred...................................................... 1370
Confirmed..................................................... 1360
Renominations (returned to the President upon recess of
Congress, subsequently renominated)......................... 0
Returned to the President upon adjournment of Congress........ 8
Withdrawn by the President.................................... 2

Department of Commerce
Inspector General............................................. 1
Assistant Secretary of Commerce............................... 1
Under Secretary for Standards and Technology.................. 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 3

Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary of Transportation......................... 1
Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy.................. 1
Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration.............................................. 1
Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.......... 1
Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration.............................................. 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 5

Department of Homeland Security
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security...................... 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 1

Coast Guard
Vice Admiral.................................................. 8
Rear Admiral, upper half...................................... 8
Rear Admiral, lower half...................................... 12
Captain....................................................... 141
Commander..................................................... 357
Lieutenant Commander.......................................... 791
Lieutenant.................................................... 3
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 1320

Coast Guard Reserve
Rear Admiral, upper half...................................... 1
Captain....................................................... 17
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 18

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.............................................. 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 1

Federal Communications Commission
Member........................................................ 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 1

Federal Maritime Commission
Commissioner.................................................. 5
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 5

Federal Trade Commission
Commissioner.................................................. 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 1

Marine Mammal Commission
Member........................................................ 1
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 1

National Transportation Safety Board
Member........................................................ 3
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 3

Surface Transportation Board
Member........................................................ 2
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 2

Amtrak Board of Directors
Member........................................................ 5
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 5

Corporation for Public Broadcasting [Board of Directors]
Member........................................................ 4
=================================================================
________________________________________________
Total......................................................... 4

Hearings

The Committee held 7 nominations hearings during the 114th
Congress.

HEARINGS:

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Full Committee

Executive Sessions

The Committee held 17 Executive Sessions during the 114th
Congress. Dates and agendas are below.

January 20, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

Rules Governing the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
S.Res. 28, An original resolution authorizing
expenditures by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation

February 26, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

H.R. 23, National Windstorm Impact Reduction
Act Reauthorization of 2015 (Senate Report 114-62)
H.R. 34, Tsunami Warning, Education, and
Research Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-146)
H.R. 719, TSA Office of Inspection
Accountability Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-111)
H.R. 720, Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security
Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-92)
S. 142, Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention
Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-12)
S. 143, United States Merchant Marine Academy
Improvements Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-51)
S. 253, Federal Communications Commission
Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-
58)
S. 304, Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act
(Senate Report 114-13)
S. 373, Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
(Senate Report 114-96)
Nomination of Dr. Tho Dinh-Zarr to be a Member
of the National Transportation Safety Board for the
remainder of the term expiring December 31, 2018
Nomination of Carlos A. Monje, Jr. to be an
Assistant Secretary of Transportation
Nomination of Manson K. Brown to be Assistant
Secretary for Environmental Observation and Prediction,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Department of Commerce
Nomination of William P. Doyle to be a Federal
Maritime Commissioner for a term expiring June 30, 2018
(Reappointment)
Nomination of Christopher A. Hart to be
Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board
for a term of two years
Nominations for Promotions in the United
States Coast Guard

March 25, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 808, Surface Transportation Board
Reauthorization Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-52)
S. 650, Railroad Safety and Positive Train
Control Extension Act (without written report)
S. 834, Sport Fish Restoration and
Recreational Boating Safety Act (Senate Report 114-91)
S. 764, A bill to reauthorize and amend the
National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other
purposes (Senate Report 114-90)
S. 766, Driver Privacy Act of 2015 (Senate
Report 114-147)
Nomination of Dr. Willie E. May to be Under
Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and
Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology
Nomination of Dr. Dava J. Newman to be Deputy
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
Nomination of Patricia D. Cahill to be a
Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting (Reappointment)

May 20, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 1331, Seasonal Forecasting Improvement Act
(Senate Report 114-248)
S. 1297, U.S. Commercial Space Launch
Competitiveness Act (Senate Report 114-88)
S. 1326, Maritime Administration Enhancement
Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-158)
S. 1040, ROV In-Depth Examination Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-357)
S. 1359, E-Warranty Act of 2015 (Senate Report
114-77)
S. 806, Drug Free Commercial Driver Act of
2015 (Senate Report 114-232)
S. 1315, Knife Owner's Protection Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-121)
S. 1334, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated
Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-166)
S. 1335, North Pacific Fisheries Convention
Implementation Act (Senate Report 114-233)
S. 1251, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
Convention Amendments Act (Senate Report 114-120)
S. 1336, South Pacific Fisheries Convention
Implementation Act (Senate Report 114-235)
H.R. 1020, STEM Education Act of 2015 (Senate
Report 114-115)
H.R. 710, Essential Transportation Worker
Identification Credential Assessment Act (Senate Report
114-244)
Nomination of Daniel R. Elliott, III to be a
Member of the Surface Transportation Board
(Reappointment)
Nomination of Mario Cordero to be a Federal
Maritime Commissioner (Reappointment)
Nomination of Rear Admiral Sandra L. Stosz to
be Vice Admiral and Deputy Commandant for Mission
Support, United States Coast Guard

June 4, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

Nomination of Vice Admiral Peter V. Neffenger
to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, and
Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration, Department of Homeland Security

June 25, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 1626, Railroad Reform, Enhancement, and
Efficiency Act (without written report)
S. 1611, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-168)
S. 1573, National Weather Service Improvement
Act (Senate Report 114-154)
S. 1298, A bill to provide nationally
consistent measures of performance of the Nation's
ports, and for other purposes (Senate Report 114-164)
S. 1403, Florida Fisheries Improvement Act
(Senate Report 114-398)
S. 1551, Domain Openness Through Continued
Oversight Matters Act of 2015 (without written report)
S. 1182, A bill to exempt application of JSA
attribution rule in case of existing agreements (Senate
Report 114-426)
S. 1250, Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-179)
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard

July 15, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 1732, Comprehensive Transportation and
Consumer Protection Act of 2015 (without written
report)

October 27, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

Nomination of Sarah Feinberg to be
administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration

November 18, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 571, Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 [deferred]
S. 1143, West Coast Dungeness Crab Management
Act (Senate Report 114-260)
S. 1518, Reinforcing American-Made Products
Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-221)
S. 1685, Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-400)
S. 1916, Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of
2015 (Senate Report 114-368)
S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-175)
S. 2206, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention
Act (Senate Report 114-384)
Nomination of Anthony Coscia to be a Director
of the Amtrak Board of Directors (Reappointment;
chairman)
Nomination of Derek Tai-Ching Kan to be a
Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard

December 9, 2015 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 571, Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 (Senate
Report 114-198)
S. 2276, Securing America's Future Energy:
Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and
Enhancing Safety Act (Senate Report 114-209)
S. 2361, Airport Security Enhancement and
Oversight Act (Senate Report 114-222)
H.R. 2843, TSA PreCheck Expansion Act (Senate
Report 114-223)
S. 1886, Coordinated Ocean Monitoring and
Research Act (Senate Report 114-354)
S. 1935, Waterfront Community Revitalization
and Resiliency Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-272)
S. 2058, Metropolitan Weather Hazards
Protection Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-351)
S. 2319, A bill to amend the Communications
Act of 1934 (without written report)
Nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel to be a
Member of the Federal Communications Commission
(Reappointment)
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard

March 3, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 2555, Making Opportunities for Broadband
Investment and Limiting Excessive and Needless
Obstacles to Wireless Act (Senate Report 114-427)
Nomination of T.F. Scott Darling III to be
Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard
Nomination of Daniel B. Maffei to be a
Commissioner at the Federal Maritime Commission

March 16, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 2658, Federal Aviation Administration
Reauthorization Act of 2016 (Senate Report 114-428)
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard

April 27, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 2644, FCC Reauthorization Act of 2016
(Senate Report 114-355)
S. 421, Federal Communications Commission
Process Reform Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-425)
S. 2607, Developing Innovation and Growing the
Internet of Things Act (Senate Report 114-364)
S. 2508, Youth Sports Concussions Act (without
written report)
S. 2829, Maritime Administration Authorization
and Enhancement Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Senate Report
114-402)
S. 2325, Digital Coast Act of 2015 (Senate
Report 114-369)
S. 2817, Space Weather Research and
Forecasting Act (Senate Report 114-385)
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard

June 15, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 2283, Small Business Broadband Deployment
Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-401)
S. 1490, Seniors Fraud Prevention Act of 2015
(Senate Report 114-370)
S. 3038, Coastal Coordination Act of 2016
(Senate Report 114-399)
Nominations for Promotion in the United States
Coast Guard
Nomination of Rebecca F. Dye to be a Federal
Maritime Commissioner (Reappointment)
Nomination of Blair Anderson to be Department
of Transportation Under Secretary for Policy

June 29, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 3084, American Innovation and
Competitiveness Act (Senate Report 114-389)
S. 827, Improving Rural Call Quality and
Reliability Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-383)
S. 2997, Securing Access to Networks in
Disasters Act of 2016 (Senate Report 114-392)
S. 1717, A bill to amend title 46, United
States Code, to exempt old vessels that only operate
within inland waterways from the fire-retardant
materials requirement if the owners of such vessels
make annual structural alterations to at least 10
percent of the areas of the vessels that are not
constructed of fire-retardant materials (Senate Report
114-367)
S. 3088, A bill to provide a deadline for
compliance with an alternate safety compliance program
and for other purposes (Senate Report 114-372)
S. 3087, American Fisheries Advisory Committee
Act (Senate Report 114-379)
S. 3059, Marine Mammal Research and Response
Act of 2016 (Senate Report 114-386)
S. 2219, Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic
Impact Act of 2015 (Senate Report 114-371)
S. 3086, Marine Debris Act Amendments of 2016
(Senate Report 114-387)
S. 3099, Access for Sportfishing Act of 2016
(Senate Report 114-388)
Nomination of Peggy E. Gustafson to be
Inspector General, Department of Commerce
Nomination of Michael A. Khouri to be a
Federal Maritime Commissioner (Reappointment)

September 21, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

S. 3346, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2016
(Senate Report 114-390)
S. 3183, Better Online Ticket Sales Act of
2016 (Senate Report 114-391)
S. 3097, SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2016
(Senate Report 114-393)
H.R. 4755, Inspiring Next Space Pioneers,
Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women
Act (without written report)
H.R. 4742, Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship
Act (without written report)

December 7, 2016 -- Consider and approve the following:

Nomination of Ann Begeman to be a Member of
the Surface Transportation Board (Reappointment)

D. Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security

Members during the 114th Congress: Republicans--Senators
Ayotte (Chairman), Wicker, Blunt, Rubio, Cruz, Fischer, Moran,
Sullivan, Johnson, Heller, and Gardner; Democrats--Senators
Cantwell (Ranking Member), Klobuchar, Blumenthal, Schatz,
Markey, Booker, Udall, Manchin, and Peters.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ In addition to the members listed for each individual
subcommittee, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the full Committee
serve as ex officio members of all subcommittees.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and
Security dedicated itself to advancing legislation to make
aviation safer and more secure for the flying public. The
subcommittee considered safety and security issues in parallel,
ultimately combining those efforts in the FAA Extension,
Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-190) that was
enacted on July 15, 2016.
On safety, the subcommittee conducted a comprehensive
series of hearings to examine the wide ranging issues for
consideration in the FAA reauthorization. While safety
legislation was in the process of being drafted, the
subcommittee pursued various initiatives on security. After a
series of oversight letters and hearings, the Committee
developed and considered S. 2361 in December 2015. The Airport
Security Enhancement and Oversight Act addresses key security
vulnerabilities at our Nation's airports. This bipartisan
security legislation was added by Floor amendment to H.R. 636,
which became the vehicle for the Federal Aviation
Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016, in the spring of
2016. Key features of H.R. 636 address airline safety, issues
surrounding the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems
into the National Airspace System, rural access to the aviation
network, consumer protections, and improving cybersecurity.
Adding security measures to H.R. 636 rounded out a
comprehensive measure to improve aviation for the traveling
public. It was approved by the Senate by a vote of 95 to 3. Key
features of the Senate-passed version of H.R. 636 were included
in the final agreement reached with the House of
Representatives and signed into Public Law 114-190.
The subcommittee also examined issues related to general
aviation and regulatory compliance issues, focusing effort on
S. 571, the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2. Ultimately included in
Public Law 114-190, a key portion of the bill reduces
regulatory burdens on recreational pilots while maintaining key
requirements for pilot health monitoring.

This subcommittee contributed to 9 hearings during the
114th Congress.

HEARINGS:

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E. Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the
Internet

Members during the 114th Congress: Republicans--Senators
Wicker (Chairman), Blunt, Rubio, Ayotte, Cruz, Fischer, Moran,
Sullivan, Johnson (WI), Heller, Gardner, and Daines;
Democrats--Schatz (Ranking Member), Cantwell, McCaskill,
Klobuchar, Blumenthal, Markey, Booker, Udall, Manchin, and
Peters.

The Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation,
and the Internet advanced legislation on a variety of topics,
including bills that would help speed the development and
deployment of next-generation wireless services, reauthorize
and reform the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
facilitate rural telehealth, and improve communications in
times of emergencies.
S. 1916, the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015,
became law on June 22, 2016, as part of H.R. 2576, the Frank R.
Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (P.L. 114-
182). The law amended the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
151 et seq.) to make public and not-for-profit skilled nursing
facilities (SNF) eligible under the Rural Health Care Program
of the Universal Service Fund, allowing SNFs to apply for
funding to offset the expense of telecommunications and
broadband services used to provide health care in rural
communities.
The subcommittee developed S. 2555, the Making
Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive
and Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act, or the MOBILE NOW Act.
The bill was ordered to be reported favorably on March 3, 2016,
but did not receive further consideration on the Senate Floor.
The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Chairman Thune and Ranking
Member Nelson, would boost the development of next-generation
gigabit wireless broadband services by ensuring more spectrum
is made available for private sector use and streamlining
regulations affecting the deployment of wireless networks. Also
included in the reported version of the MOBILE NOW Act were
provisions influenced by or substantively incorporating six
other bills within the subcommittee's jurisdiction: S. 417, the
Rural Spectrum Accessibility Act of 2015; S. 424, the Wi-Fi
Innovation Act; S. 1261, the Wireless Telecommunications Tax
and Fee Collection Fairness Act of 2015; S. 2163, the
Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure Act; S.
2278, the Promoting Unlicensed Spectrum Act of 2015; and S.
2366, the Spectrum Challenge Prize Act of 2015.
The subcommittee developed S. 2644, the FCC Reauthorization
Act of 2016. It was ordered to be reported favorably on April
27, 2016, but did not receive further consideration on the
Senate Floor. The last year for which Congress authorized
appropriations for the FCC was fiscal year 1991. S. 2644
included an authorization of appropriations for fiscal years
2017 and 2018, along with modifications to the agency's
operations and statutory authorities, directives for
rulemakings, and numerous reporting requirements. Also included
in the reported version of S. 2644 were provisions
substantively incorporating three other bills within the
subcommittee's jurisdiction: S. 2319, a bill to amend the
Communications Act of 1934; S. 2553, the Kari's Law Act of
2016; and S. 2558, the Spoofing Prevention Act of 2016.
The committee reported favorably ten other bills in the
subcommittee's jurisdiction, including S. 253, the Federal
Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015,
which passed the Senate on June 11, 2015.

This subcommittee contributed to 19 hearings during the
114th Congress.

HEARINGS:

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\This hearing also appears under the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data
Security.
\4\This hearing also appears under the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data
Security.

F. Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and
Data Security

Members during the 114th Congress: Republicans--Senators
Moran (Chairman), Blunt, Cruz, Fischer, Heller, Gardner, and
Daines; Democrats--Senators Blumenthal (Ranking Member),
McCaskill, Klobuchar, Markey, Booker, and Udall.

The Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety,
Insurance, and Data Security worked to protect consumers from
unfair and deceptive practices and to ensure due process of law
at the regulatory and enforcement agencies within the
subcommittee's oversight jurisdiction.
Two bills referred to the Committee under the
subcommittee's jurisdiction became law in the 114th Congress.
S. 142 (P.L. 114-116), the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention
Act of 2015, provides the Consumer Product Safety Commission
with statutory authority to regulate liquid nicotine containers
as a consumer product under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act
of 1970 (15 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) and directs the Commission to
promulgate a safety rule requiring the packaging of such
products in a manner that would make them significantly
difficult for a child under the age of five to open the
containers or otherwise access their liquid contents. S. 1359
(P.L. 114-42), the E-Warranty Act of 2015, amends section
102(b) of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty-Federal Trade Commission
Improvement Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(b)), so that manufacturers have
the option of meeting their warranty notification requirements
by posting their warranty information in an accessible digital
format on the manufacturers' websites and by making their
warranty information available at the point of sale upon
request.
Nine bills referred to the Committee under the
subcommittee's jurisdiction became law in the 114th Congress by
virtue of their incorporation into H.R. 22 (P.L. 114-94), the
Fixing American Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). These
bills include the following: S. 127, the Stop Motorcycle
Checkpoint Funding Act; S. 304, the Conscience Protection Act
of 2016; S. 766, the Driver Privacy Act of 2015; S. 1173, the
Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2015; S.
1433, the Improving Driver Safety Act of 2015; S. 1467, the
Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015; S. 1535, the Safety Through
Informed Consumers Act of 2015; S. 1732, the Comprehensive
Transportation and Consumer Protection Act of 2015; and S.
1741, the Tire Efficiency, Safety, and Registration Act of
2015.
The subcommittee also addressed numerous consumer
protection and product safety issues by holding oversight
hearings and recommending legislation on recreational off-
highway vehicle safety, residential carbon monoxide poisoning,
senior fraud prevention, ``Made in the U.S.A.'' labeling
standards, the use of non-disparagement clauses in consumer
contracts, youth sports concussions, and the contribution of
the outdoor recreation industry to the national economy.
The subcommittee developed S. 2044, the Consumer Review
Freedom Act of 2015. S. 2044, sponsored by Chairman Thune,
would protect consumers' right to comment on particular goods
or services by making it unlawful for businesses or individuals
to include non-disparagement clauses in form contracts. The
measure was drafted to address questionable measures, including
fines, some businesses take to dissuade consumer criticism of
products or services to better protect their reputations. S.
2044 was ordered to be reported favorably on November, 18,
2015, and passed in the Senate on December 14, 2015. Similar
legislation in the House of Representatives, the Consumer
Review Fairness Act of 2016, was enacted into law on December
14, 2016 (P.L. 114-258).

This subcommittee contributed to 12 hearings during the
114th Congress.

HEARINGS:

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\This hearing also appears under the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet.
\6\This hearing also appears under the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet.

G. Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard \7\

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\H.R. 6452, a bill to implement the Convention on the
Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the
North Pacific Ocean, to implement the Convention on the Conservation
and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific
Ocean, and for other purposes, was not referred to the Committee, but
became Public Law 114-327.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Members during the 114th Congress: Republicans--Senators
Rubio (Chairman), Wicker, Ayotte, Cruz, Sullivan, and Johnson
(WI); Democrats--Senators Booker (Ranking Member), Cantwell,
Blumenthal, Schatz, Markey, and Peters.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 was enacted on
February 8, 2016 (P.L. 114-120). This comprehensive legislation
authorizes funding for the Coast Guard's operating expenses,
acquisitions, and other major accounts, as well as an end-of-
year strength for active duty personnel, for fiscal years 2016
and 2017. The Act contains over 20 legislative requests from
the Coast Guard, several of which give Coast Guard parity with
the other military services, including increasing the rank of
the Vice Commandant from vice admiral to admiral and allowing a
Coast Guard and admiral assignment outside of the Coast Guard.
The Act also enhances the Coast Guard's maritime law
enforcement authorities necessary for the execution of the
agency's Western Hemisphere Strategy.
H.R. 774, a bill to strengthen enforcement mechanisms to
stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, was
enacted into law on November 5, 2015 (P.L. 114-81). S. 1334,
the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement
Act of 2015, was the Senate companion bill. The legislation
strengthens and harmonizes enforcement provisions and
penalties. It also implements international agreements to
prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. This provision
provides the authority to the Secretary of the department in
which the Coast Guard is operating to authorize or deny port
entry. Entry may be denied to vessels listed as IUU vessels or
if the Secretary of Commerce has reasonable grounds to believe
the vessel has been engaged in IUU fishing or related
activities.

This subcommittee contributed to 8 hearings during the
114th Congress.

HEARINGS:

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

H. Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness

Members during the 114th Congress: Republicans--Senators
Cruz (Chairman), Rubio, Moran, Sullivan, Gardner, and Daines;
Democrats--Senators Peters (Ranking Member), Markey, Booker,
Udall, and Schatz.

The Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness
pursued hearings setting the stage for legislation directing
policies and authorization for each of the agencies under its
jurisdiction. The Innovation and Competitiveness Working Group,
established by Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson,
leveraged the subcommittee's oversight responsibilities over
the National Science Foundation, the National Institute for
Standards and Technology, and the White House Office of Science
and Technology Policy to examine key issues related to drivers
of innovation and competitiveness in science and research and
development (R&D) policy. Through three Working Group meetings
in Washington, and others in Working Group members' States,
policy ideas to improve innovation and the competitiveness
potential of the U.S. R&D enterprise were put forward, and
eventually assembled into the bipartisan American Innovation
and Competitiveness Act (S. 3084). After a full committee
hearing on the bill on May 11, 2016, the Committee reported S.
3084 on June 29, 2016, with broad bipartisan support. The
measure was enacted into law on January 6, 2017 (P.L. 114-329).
The subcommittee also has been active on civil space
issues. Addressing the competitiveness of the U.S. commercial
space sector was a top priority in the 114th Congress and a key
element of the subcommittee's first hearing. Understanding that
the space launch market is a global market, members of the
Committee examined the key policy issues that affect U.S.
companies' ability to compete globally for launch
opportunities. Chief among the factors was launch liability
exposure and the uncertainty posed by potentially uninformed
government regulations. Building on the hearing record and
oversight efforts, Subcommittee Chairman Cruz, along with Full
Committee Ranking Member Nelson among other bipartisan
cosponsors, introduced S. 1297, the U.S. Commercial Space
Launch Competitiveness Act on May 12, 2015. After passage in
the Senate on August 4, 2015, an agreement was reached with the
House of Representatives on companion legislation and the
President signed the bill into law on November 25, 2015. The
U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (P.L. 114-90)
provides 10 years of launch liability protection and extends
the learning period for government regulators by another 8
years. In addition, the bill provides certainty of property
rights to U.S. entities recovering precious resources in space,
a step that will foster innovation in commercial space
endeavors.
The subcommittee also focused on the future of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) human exploration
programs. In a hearing on July 13, 2016, the subcommittee
examined the potential disruption on NASA's balanced space
exploration portfolio that could come with a presidential
transition. In an effort to provide stability for NASA's core
programs, subcommittee members introduced S. 3346, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization
Act of 2016. S. 3346 would provide funding authorizations for
the entire agency for fiscal year 2017 and would direct
policies for continued development of commercial and government
launch capabilities, as well as provide direction on continued
development of science programs. The bill also would address
key cybersecurity vulnerabilities at the agency discovered
through government watchdog audits. The measure passed the
Senate on December 10, 2016. A substantially similar measure
(S. 442) was introduced in the 115th Congress and became law
on March 21, 2017 (P.L. 115-10).

This subcommittee contributed to 9 hearings, including 1
field hearing, during the 114th Congress.

HEARINGS:

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\Field Hearing at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota.

I. Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine
Infrastructure, Safety, and Security

Members during the 114th Congress: Republicans--Senators
Fischer (Chairman), Wicker, Blunt, Ayotte, Moran, Sullivan,
Johnson (WI), Heller, and Daines; Democrats--Senators Booker
(Ranking Member), Cantwell, McCaskill, Klobuchar, Blumenthal,
Schatz, Markey, and Udall.

The Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant
Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security contributed to the
passage and enactment of several transportation-related bills
in the 114th Congress.
The FAST Act, a 5 year, $305 billion authorization of
surface transportation programs, was enacted on December 4,
2015. The Act includes motor carrier, freight, research, rail,
and streaming provisions produced by the Committee. These
provisions were introduced and marked up as S. 1732, the
Comprehensive Transportation and Consumer Protection Act of
2015. The following introduced bills are part of the FAST Act:
S. 1298, The Port Performance Act, which
requires the development and collection of
metrics on the performance of major ports.
S. 1669, TRUCK Safety Reform Act, which
reforms the regulatory process at the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
S. 1680, The National Multimodal Freight
Policy and Investment Act, which improves
freight planning.
S. 1626, Railroad Reform, Enhancement, and
Efficiency Act, which is the first passenger
rail reauthorization in over 7 years and
institutes reforms to improve Amtrak's
performance, introduce passenger rail
competition, and increase safety.
S. 769, Track, Railroad, and Infrastructure
Network Act, which streamlines historic and
environmental permitting requirements to
facilitate accelerated rail project delivery.
S. 797, Railroad Infrastructure Financing
Improvement Act, which reforms an inefficient
railroad loan program to reduce review times,
increases flexibility, and adds taxpayer
protections.
S. 2276, the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and
Enhancing Safety Act of 2016 was enacted June 22, 2016, and is
a 3 year reauthorization of the pipeline safety activities at
the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (P.L. 114-
183). Provisions similar to the natural gas storage
requirements in S. 1786, the Underground Gas Storage Facility
Safety Act of 2015, were included in the enacted pipeline
authorization.
Additionally, S. 808, the Surface Transportation Board
Reauthorization Act of 2015, was the first reauthorization of
the Board since its creation in 1996 and was enacted December
18, 2015 (P.L. 114-110). The legislation improves the Board's
dispute resolution processes, enables more proactive problem-
solving, and reforms its structure to increase efficiency and
transparency.
Lastly, S. 650, the Railroad Safety and Positive Train
Control Extension Act avoided a significant disruption to rail
transportation by extending an unrealistic statutory deadline
for positive train control implementation and set new
accountability measures to prevent the need for another
extension. This law was enacted as part of Public Law 114-73 on
October 29, 2015.

This subcommittee contributed to 25 hearings, including 3
field hearings, during the 114th Congress.

HEARINGS:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Title
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 28, 2015* Freight Rail Transportation: Enhancing Safety, Efficiency and
Commerce (S.Hrg.114-206)
January 29, 2015 Improving the Performance of Our Transportation Networks:
Stakeholder Perspectives (S.Hrg.11-91)
February 10, 2015 Keeping Goods Moving (S.Hrg.114-132)
March 3, 2015* Examining the FY 2016 Budget Requests for the U.S. Department of
Commerce and the U.S. Department of Transportation (S.Hrg.114-144)
March 4, 2015 Surface Transportation Reauthorization -- Oversight and Reform of
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (S.Hrg.114-92))
March 24, 2015 Surface Transportation Reauthorization: Performance, Not
Prescription (S.Hrg.114-244)
May 4, 2015 Passenger Rail Reauthorization: The Future of the Northeast
Corridor (S.Hrg.114-111)
May 5, 2015 Surface Transportation Reauthorization: The Importance of a Long
Term Reauthorization (S.Hrg.114-207)
May 6, 2015* Nominations to the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal
Maritime Commission (S.Hrg.114-208)
June 10, 2015* Passenger Rail Safety: Accident Prevention and On-going Efforts to
Implement Train Control Technology (S.Hrg.114-125)
July 7, 2015 Technologies Transforming Transportation: Is the Government Keeping
Up? (S.Hrg.114-250)
July 22, 2015* Nomination of Marie Therese Dominguez to be Administrator, Pipeline
and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (S.Hrg.114-126)
September 17, 2015* Nomination of Sarah E. Feinberg to be Administrator, Federal
Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
(S.Hrg.114-227)
September 18, 2015*\9\ Pipeline Safety: State and Local Perspectives (S.Hrg.114-255)
September 29, 2015 Pipeline Safety: Oversight of Our Nation's Pipeline Network
(S.Hrg.114-251)
January 20, 2016* Nomination of T.F. Scott Darling, III to be the Administrator of
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (S.Hrg.114-457)
February 23, 2016 Passenger Rail: Opportunities and Challenges for the National
Network (S.Hrg.114-384)
March 8, 2016 The State of the U.S. Maritime Industry: The Federal Role
April 20, 2016 The State of the U.S. Maritime Industry: Stakeholder Perspectives
(S.Hrg.114-385)
May 2, 2016*\10\ Keeping Goods Moving in America's Heartland (S.Hrg.114-574)
June 8, 2016* The Implementation of the FAST Act (S.Hrg.114-386)
June 28, 2016 How the Internet of Things (IoT) Can Bring U.S. Transportation and
Infrastructure into the 21st Century (S.Hrg.114-408)
July 12, 2016 Intermodal and Interdependent: The FAST Act, the Economy, and Our
Nation's Transportation System (S.Hrg.114-378)
August 11, 2016*\11\ Freight Rail Reform: Implementation of the Surface Transportation
Board Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S.Hrg.114-524)
December 7, 2016 Assessing the Security of Our Critical Transportation
Infrastructure

*Full Committee hearing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\Field Hearing at Montana State University in Billings, Montana.
\10\Field Hearing at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
\11\Field Hearing at Carnegie Town Hall in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[all]