Hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Nominations
Hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Nominations
Statement of Chairman Stevens
Senate Commerce Committee
Departments of Commerce and Transportation Nominees
February 7, 2006
This afternoon the Committee will hear from five of the President's nominees for the Department of Transportation, and one nominee for the Department of Commerce.
Robert Cresanti has been nominated to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology, and Senator Bennett, for whom Mr. Cresanti formerly worked, will introduce him.
Admiral Thomas Barrett has been nominated to be Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation. Admiral Barrett has had a distinguished career in the U.S. Coast Guard, including significant time served in our home State of Alaska. We thank you for your service to this country. Senator Murkowski will introduce the Admiral this afternoon.
Tyler Duvall has been nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy for the Department of Transportation.
Nicole Nason has been nominated to be Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation.
David Sanborn has been nominated to be Administrator for the Maritime Administration within the Department of Transportation.
I understand that Senator Allen will introduce Mr. Duvall, Ms. Nason, and Mr. Sanborn.
And, finally, Shane Karr has been nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs for the Department of Transportation.
Each of the nominees has family in attendance today, and it is our request that the nominees will take a moment before they come to the table to introduce their respective family members to the Committee.
Before proceeding, I would note that Public Citizen's Joan Claybrook requested to testify today concerning Ms. Nason's nomination. We have asked Ms. Claybrook to submit written testimony, which we will review and consider. We have not held hearings with outside witnesses on nominations of this type.
In addition, Senator Inouye has submitted pre-hearing questions to Ms. Nason, Mr. Duvall, and Mr. Karr, the answers to which the Committee will also review.
I do thank Senators Murkowski, Bennett, and Allen for their support for these nominees. And, I just want to say we'll have a Committee mark-up of these nominations at a later time. There are several Members of the Committee who are out of town for a funeral ceremony and we will not hold that today. We will announce that and it will be some time in the future.
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1748&wit_id=3971