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

Hearing

Good morning. After today's executive session, we will be holding a very important hearing focused on the Equifax and Yahoo! data breaches. As such, I am going to keep my remarks brief so that we can turn expeditiously to that important discussion.

But first, today's agenda includes two legislative items and eight nominations.

The first agenda item, Senators Portman and Blumenthal's Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017, is cosponsored by almost half of the Committee and seeks to address online sex trafficking while maintaining key operational pillars of the internet ecosystem.

Our earlier Committee hearing on this legislation featured powerful and thoughtful testimony outlining the need for this measure, and I am pleased that the Thune-Nelson-Blumenthal Substitute we are about to consider resolved the final technical changes needed to garner the support of many stakeholders, including the Internet Association.

Today's eight well-qualified nominees will, if confirmed, fill a number of key vacancies including -- Administrators of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Assistant Secretary positions at the Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce; and memberships on the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Amtrak Board of Directors.

While these nominees have diverse backgrounds -- including two Members of Congress; current and former members of the Armed Services; and distinguished careers in public service, academia, business, and the law -- they all share the common desire to serve the American people to the best of their abilities.

I am hopeful that these accomplishments and their shared desire to serve our nation will be considered as we advance their nominations today.

With that, I will turn to Senator Nelson for any opening remarks.

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