Hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee - Opening Statement of Rep. Thune, Hearing on Nominations

Hearing

Good morning. Thank you Congressman Bridenstine, Ms. Baiocco, Dr. Jacobs, and Ms. Nikakhtar for being here and for your willingness to serve in the important positions to which you have been nominated.

We have four well-qualified nominees before our Committee today.

Congressman James Bridenstine has been nominated to serve as the next NASA Administrator. He was elected in 2012 to represent Oklahoma's First Congressional District and currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. Congressman Bridenstine also has a distinguished military career, beginning in the Navy flying the E-2C Hawkeye off the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, from which he flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. While on active duty, he transitioned to the F-18 Hornet and flew as an "aggressor" at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center. After leaving active duty, Congressman Bridenstine flew counter-drug missions in Central and South America in the Navy Reserve and currently is a member of the 137th Special Operations Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard.

During his tenure in Congress, Representative Bridenstine has established a reputation as a leader on space policy. In fact, one of his most well-known supporters is former astronaut and the second human to step foot on the moon, Colonel Buzz Aldrin. Another supporter, John Hamre, former Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Clinton and current President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said of him: "I have worked with members of Congress for 40 years. Only very rarely have I seen a member of Congress with such intensity and sophistication on an urgent national priority."

I know that many on this Committee, particularly the Ranking Member, are passionate about the space program and the inspiring work of NASA. Congressman Bridenstine, we look forward to hearing more about your vision for the agency.

We are also joined today by Dana Baiocco who has been nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Born and raised in Yorkville, Ohio, Ms. Baiocco joined the law firm of Jones Day in 1998 and became a partner in 2007. She was one of the founding partners of Jones Day's Boston office, which opened in 2011. Ms. Baiocco has dedicated her legal career to product safety and liability issues that will serve her well at the CPSC.

Currently, the CPSC is led by a chairman who does not have a functioning majority. Earlier this month we reported favorably Ann Marie Buerkle to be Chairman and to an additional term on the Commission. It is my hope that the Senate will prioritize the Buerkle and Baiocco nominations soon, so we can move swiftly towards establishing a chairman with a functioning majority at the CPSC.

Neil Jacobs has been nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction. If confirmed, he will serve as one of the Deputy Administrators of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Dr. Jacobs is currently the Chief Atmospheric Scientist at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, where he directs the research and development of the aviation weather observing program, as well as the company's numerical forecast models. He is the Chair of the American Meteorological Society's Forecast Improvement Group, and also serves on the World Meteorological Organization's aircraft-based observing systems expert team. Prior to joining Panasonic in 2005, Dr. Jacobs worked on various analyses and modeling projects including NASA's Earth Systems Science Program, NOAA's satellite program, and the Department of Energy's Ocean Margins Program. Dr. Jacobs' experience makes him well-tailored to serve in a leadership role at NOAA.

Nazakhtar Nikakhtar has been nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis. Ms. Nikakhtar is currently a partner at Cassidy Levy Kent, a leading international trade law firm. For over a decade, Ms. Nikakhtar has successfully represented U.S. businesses -- particularly those in the industrial, agricultural, chemical, and steel sectors -- in international trade law matters, including trade remedy matters, customs matters, and World Trade Organization dispute settlement. Prior to private practice, she served at the Department of Commerce advising on legal and regulatory matters related to the enforcement of U.S. trade laws and bilateral trade negotiations, where she received several awards for her work. Her technical expertise makes Ms. Nikakhtar a well-qualified candidate to run the Industry and Analysis unit at the International Trade Adminisration.

As I've noted, all four of these nominees are well-qualified for the positions to which they have been nominated and I look forward to their swift confirmation. Once again, I would like to thank you all for testifying today and for your willingness to fill these critical posts.

I will now turn to Ranking Member Nelson for any opening remarks.

Source