▶ 0:21:36Chair Cruz: Good morning. The senate committee on, or,, and transportation will come to order. Today we will consider harry kumar, joyce meyer, and seval oz . We will also take up a by authorize -- a by party reauthorization of pipeline safety programs and the rotor act in response to the tragic safety accident at ronald reagan national airport in january.
▶ 0:22:09Chair Cruz: First a word about the bipartisan pipeline safety act of 2025. As the energy capital of the world, millions of jobs nationally and in texas depend upon the safe and reliable movement of energy. The pipeline and hazardous materials safety administration has the critical task of overseeing 3 million miles of oil, natural gas, and other liquid pipelines that move energy across this country every single day.
▶ 0:22:38Chair Cruz: The pipeline safety act which are introduced along with ranking member cantwell and senators young and peters is an important consensus driven bill that directs phmsa to address key pipeline safety challenges. This authorizes recommendations to the safety programs were five years, giving the agency the time and resources it needs to address critical priorities.
▶ 0:23:08Chair Cruz: The bill update safety rules for storage tanks in use and let's pipeline operators test new and more modern safety technologies in real-world conditions and guards against risks from pipelines made with composite materials. The bill also strengthens state haul before you dig programs and hydrogen gas blending and carbon dioxide pipelines.
▶ 0:23:34Chair Cruz: I want to thank the members of this committee for sharing their priorities, dozens of which are reflected in this bill. A brief word about the other bipartisan bills. Two of them, the integrated ocean observation act of 2025 and senator baldwin's digital coast act support the gathering and accessibility of ocean and forecasting data.
▶ 0:24:02Chair Cruz: That information may prove helpful for fishermen, who will be pleased to see we are also reporting out senator sullivan's fishermen development extension act. Senator young's global investment in american jobs act calls for a review of our ability to attract foreign direct investment from responsible private businesses in allied countries.
▶ 0:24:25Chair Cruz: Senator ernst's national stem week act would provide a week to promote education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, an important recognition of the growing number of U.S. jobs that require stem skills. Senator budd's foreign robo call elimination act would require -- would establish an interagency task force report on robo calls.
▶ 0:24:52Chair Cruz: With advances in technology illegal robo calls are being made from all over the world more cheaply than ever. It is time we protect americans, especially seniors, from these annoying and unwanted attempts to bilk them out of their money. Finally we will turn to the rotor act which I introduced in july.
▶ 0:25:14Chair Cruz: The substitute amendment, which we negotiated with the democrats it is cosponsored by senator cantwell, cap no, klobuchar, duckworth, and young, closes a dangerous loophole that allowed military aircraft to operate in domestic skies without communicating their position quickly and accurately to other aviators like commercial aircraft do.
▶ 0:25:41Chair Cruz: This legislation requires all aircraft operating in congested airspace to equip with a dsd, which will enable plays to receive position signals from other aircraft, something the ntsb has recommended for decades. A welcome thank you for being here.
▶ 0:26:02Chair Cruz: It also directs the faa to conduct more in-depth safety reviews at airports with nearby helicopter traffic to better coordinate communication between the faa and the pentagon and requires the army and inspector general to review for systemic failures. Lastly I want to recognize the families of the victims who are here today.
▶ 0:26:38Chair Cruz: Sherry is with us, thank you for your advocacy. As our jim and sally joe who lost family members. Without the families the rotor act would not be happening. As national transportation safety board chairwoman jennifer hominy said, this legislation will save lives. I will now turn to ranking member cantwell.
▶ 0:27:06Sen. Cantwell: Thank you Mr. chairman and thank you for this markup today. I want to thank our members and their staff for working so diligently on these important pieces of legislation.
▶ 0:27:20Sen. Cantwell: They include aviation safety, pipeline safety, stem education, support for programs in our coastal communities, maritime industries, and promoting the next generation of fishermen, including direct foreign investment in the united states and protecting consumers from unlawful foreign robo calls. I want to thank the families who are here today. Sherry lily and the lily family.
▶ 0:27:49Sen. Cantwell: I want to thank all of the families of the flight for their incredible work and input on the legislation. We want to thank the chairman who just recently completed a series of hearings and we look forward to your final report on this important recommendation beyond the rotor act and hope as soon as that report is made public we will have hearings before this committee.
▶ 0:28:16Sen. Cantwell: We are here today and I am pleased to have come to a bipartisan agreement with senator cruz that identified those issues that ntsb had identified as critical to address in the reagan national airport collision that took 67 lives. 67 people died because the military helicopter flew invisible into another aircraft and pilots lack the technology to see each other. The bipartisan agreement fixes both problems.
▶ 0:28:47Sen. Cantwell: It closes the loophole immediately upon the enactment of this legislation. Previous attempts to try to close these loopholes were met with rules that allowed for loopholes. It allows aircraft operators to equip their fleet with the first ever mandate for this life-saving technology after 17 years when the ntsb first recommended it.
▶ 0:29:18Sen. Cantwell: This committee is accomplishing a great act this morning by saying we are finally mandating this and getting it into law. The agreement also strengthens the faa department of defense coordination, requires comprehensive safety review of all aircraft operations in the D.C. airspace, as well as all major and mid side airports across the country and from the data we hear from some of the hearings input this is something to be concerned about. We need to do more work more quickly.
▶ 0:29:51Sen. Cantwell: These are the reforms the families sought and we know they will save lives. Next we turn to the pipeline safety act of 2025 from chairman cruz and myself and senators peters and young and I thank them for their work on this. The bill re-authorizes the pipeline safety program through september 2030. This bill includes important measures to ensure the safety of our energy infrastructure including 46,000 miles of pipeline in my estate.
▶ 0:30:21Sen. Cantwell: Vertically the bill directs tsa to make cybersecurity requirements permanent to prevent attacks like the 2021 colonial pipeline hack and requires operators to address aging plastic components known to fail, land movement caused by landslides and earthquakes and close loopholes for carbon dioxide and hydrogen pipelines. We will also consider the national stem week act from senators klobuchar and ernst.
▶ 0:30:48Sen. Cantwell: This requires the national technology and science commensal committee on stem to designate a week each calendar year as stem week. Given how much the ministration has cut science funding across the board I'm glad to see a bipartisan effort to focus on stem. The chairman mentioned the integrated ocean observation system reauthorization act by myself and senator wicker, senator sullivan, senator baldwin.
▶ 0:31:16Sen. Cantwell: I want to thank senator wicker are working on this in the original bill and for the five-year reauthorization. The important buoy system information to give us high quality ocean and coastal great lakes data that weather forecasters and fishermen, maritime transportation system users and other ocean users depend on for their safety and their economic success. The digital coastal act from senators baldwin and sullivan reauthorizes the digital coastal program.
▶ 0:31:48Sen. Cantwell: The digital coastal data set consists of contributions from hundreds of organizations, federal and state agencies to assist communities in responding to emergencies. When you have very remote parts of a coastline like we do in the state of washington, having those groups have access to that information, I literally know a story of an accident where a sailor fell off a boat when he and his brother were coming back from bc and trying to get back
▶ 0:32:18Sen. Cantwell: To olympia and fell off and the coast guard was trying to search for them but because this information was accessible a guy calculated and said this is where he is and they were able to rescue the individual. All of this data is important. We consider the young fisherman's development act. The young fisherman develop and grant program provides training and outreach to young fisherman by awarding competitive matching grants.
▶ 0:32:49Sen. Cantwell: The global investment in american jobs act requires the department of commerce and filament accountability offices to conduct interagency review of global competitiveness of the united states in direct investment to our domestic economy. Finally consider the foreign robo call elimination act from senator budd and senator welch and I thank them so much for their work on this very important issue to direct the fcc to establish a public-private interagency task force on these unlawful foreign robo calls.
▶ 0:33:19Sen. Cantwell: I do not support the nominations before us this morning. I have concerns about the administration undermining the integrity of data and about being transparent with us as in the case of Mr. kumar's work at the agency and more transparency in safety technology overall. Thank you, Mr. chairman, and thank you for working collaboratively on these important bills.
▶ 0:33:44Chair Cruz: Thank you. I now recognize senator cantwell for a motion.
▶ 0:33:49Sen. Cantwell: I move that the pipeline safety act of 2025 as amended, as modified be favorably reported.
▶ 0:34:03Chair Cruz: Is there a second? Any discussion? >> I was congratulating Mr. curtis on some legislation moved in the act committee. I apologize.
▶ 0:34:32Chair Cruz: I would like to call upon amendment number two.
▶ 0:34:36Chair Cruz: Proceed. >> Mr. chairman, this amendment is pretty simple. It looks at some of the things that have happened in our communities over the last few years and it is quite simply saying that's some weather occurrences need to be included in these studies and we should do something about it.
▶ 0:35:07Chair Cruz: In february 2021 a winter storm called widespread extended blackouts in new mexico, texas, and other south central states owing in part to low pipeline pressure. The texas cold spell was 25 degrees below average temperature. That is extreme cold this resulted in 246 storm-related deaths and people died. Similar circumstances repeated in december 2022 in new york city due to winter storm elliott.
▶ 0:35:35Chair Cruz: During and after winter storm elliott natural gas failures because dangerously low pipeline pressures which extinguished pilot lights in homes and jeopardized gas services for millions in eastern new mexico. Following the storm safety was compromised as gas companies faced a major effort to restore service by manually relighting pilot lights for affected customers.
▶ 0:35:58Chair Cruz: Ensuring these storms are a part of the study would help understanding how extreme weather poses a risk to the integrity and normal operations of natural gas pipeline facilities which I would argue is critical to protecting public safety. Furthermore we want to avoid the circumstances from happening again, not just deliver another study to congress.
▶ 0:36:20Chair Cruz: The amendment not only includes the specific storms but if you look at the final paragraph in the amendment it says if the study shows something has to be done with extreme cold or extreme heat that we know has led to outages than congress has to do something. I don't know why this would be controversial for anyone. I am surprised this was not just accepted. There is no rhyme or reason why this would be excluded from the definition and stafford act, which when he read it does not say anything about these particular storms.
▶ 0:36:50Chair Cruz: It goes on to say snowstorms or drought but that is not what happened. This was not a snowstorm or a drought that was related to heat. There is just extreme cold and those of us who live in cold places, you know what extreme cold is. I'm not talking about when it gets chilly outside. I am talking about when everything stops working.
▶ 0:37:10Chair Cruz: There is no rhyme or reason why when we are making investments and especially working with these industries we all depend on to stay warm or cool or say people's lives that they should not be included. The amendment is that simple and I would ask for my colleagues to consider supporting this. I would be happy to work with anyone on it to make sure it works for all of our states and we can get something good done.
▶ 0:37:36Chair Cruz: I want to clarify the amendment you called up is lujan two as modified. I've been having a vigorous discussion with my staff, I have all these talking points on why should oppose your amendment. You have three amendments are proffering this morning.
▶ 0:37:57Chair Cruz: I will suggest, senator lujan, if you are willing to withdraw the other two I am amenable to adopting this amendment by voice vote.
▶ 0:38:09Sen. Ray Lujan: I withdraw the other two.
▶ 0:38:12Chair Cruz: I suggest we adopt this by voice vote. My staff suggest it is duplicative but this is not the first time congress adopt something duplicative and I'm confident it will not be the last. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed? The amendment is adopted. Are there any other amendments or discussion?
▶ 0:38:40Chair Cruz: If there is no further discussion the question is on senator cantwell's motion. All those in favor say I. All of those opposed say no. The motion is agreed to and the bill is ordered repeated dashboard reported favorably. Now recognize senator cantwell for an additional motion.
▶ 0:39:00Sen. Cantwell: Just for a point of clarification before I make my motion, senator blunt rochester like to be reported as a no.
▶ 0:39:08Chair Cruz: She will be so recorded.
▶ 0:39:11Sen. Cantwell: I move the global investment in america chop act of 2025 as amended by young substitute be favorably reported.
▶ 0:39:20Chair Cruz: Is there a second? Is there any discussion? Senator markey?
▶ 0:39:27Sen. Markey: Thank you very much. I support the intent behind the global investment in american jobs act that senators young and peters have constructed because foreign investment is an important part of the U.S. economy and it makes sense to examine whether the united states is an attractive destination for foreign capital. As part of that examination we cannot ignore the elephant in the room.
▶ 0:40:00Sen. Markey: The trump administration's chaotic economic policies and its ongoing attack on the rule of law which undermine foreign investor confidence in our country. I filed nearly two dozen amendments to ensure this legislation takes a comprehensive view of the U.S. investment climate. I will not be calling out amendments but it is important we vote on some of them.
▶ 0:40:22Sen. Markey: First I call up markey amendment one and I asked for its consideration.
▶ 0:40:31Chair Cruz: The amendment will be considered.
▶ 0:40:35Sen. Markey: Thank you. That amendment will require the report to study the impact of government actions that undermine the first amendment. Freedom of the press, independent oversight of institutions. When deciding whether to invest investors weigh not only tax rates or labor costs but also whether a nation's political climate respects transparency, accountability, and independent oversight.
▶ 0:41:06Sen. Markey: Actions that chill speech, intimidate journalists, erode first amendment protections signal institutional fragility. Foreign investors seek to avoid. That risk was skyrocketed in the united states from fcc chairman brendan carr's mafia boss threats against the media to trump's firing of inspectors general. This administration has repeatedly sought to shut down dissenting voices across the country.
▶ 0:41:37Sen. Markey: Markey amendment number one would ensure the report considers how such violations of the first amendment affect foreign direct investment in the united states and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
▶ 0:41:52Chair Cruz: Thank you, senator markey. I oppose this amendment and will be urging my colleagues to vote no. The purpose of the bill is to require the department of commerce to review U.S. global competitiveness and attracting foreign investment from responsible private sector entities, not those who act at the behest of the communist party of china. Senators young and senator peters have worked together in a bipartisan fashion to advance this legislation and I'm happy the committee is advancing it today.
▶ 0:42:23Chair Cruz: This amendment is not intended to approve or at any practical value to the bill. Instead this amendment is meant to criticize the trump administration over the comedian jimmy kimmel. Jimmy kimmel is both unfunny and has a lousy jumpshot. Let's be honest. The trump administration is not the first administration that has been less than fully supportive of free speech at the fcc.
▶ 0:42:55Chair Cruz: Democrats have spent years trying to deplatform americans and broadcasters they disliked. Many of them urge the fcc to revoke licenses from sinclair for urging conservative views. This committee has already held one hearing on government censorship and the first amendment and we will be holding more hearings in the coming weeks. I will be soon introducing legislation to prohibit government jawboning and to empower americans to vindicate their constitutional rights.
▶ 0:43:23Chair Cruz: Senator markey will soon have an opportunity to support my legislation to put action behind his words. I support free speech. I support free speech regardless of which party is attempting to interfere with that. This amendment is not furthering the bipartisan objectives of this legislation and I urge a no vote. Is there any additional discussion?
▶ 0:43:51Chair Cruz: A roll call vote has been requested. The clerk will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 0:44:56Chair Cruz: The nos are 15 and the yeses are 13.
▶ 0:45:03Chair Cruz: The amendment is not adopted.
▶ 0:45:08Sen. Markey: I want to call markey amendment number three.
▶ 0:45:13Chair Cruz: It is called up. You may proceed.
▶ 0:45:17Sen. Markey: This amendment would ensure the report considers the impact of foreign direct investment when president trump makes financial success dependent on political favors or personal loyalty to him. Investors placed capital where the rules are predictable and success depends on innovation and not loyalty. When foreign companies perceive that advancement in the united states market requires currying favor with politicians they view the environment as corrupt or risky.
▶ 0:45:49Sen. Markey: This perception deters legitimate investment, particularly from allies who expect a transparent rules-based commerce. Such crony capitalism is pervasive in the trump administration. The examples are endless. Apple ceo tim cook brings class plaque to the white house for president trump. The uae ruler invest in a trump-endorsed crypto fund before securing trump's approval.
▶ 0:46:20Sen. Markey: Companies with the closest trump connections received tariff waivers while those without such connections are left out. Day after day companies with ties to the white house and donald trump are rewarded with favorable contracts and political benefits in these types of deals are offensive to a rules-based economy and will inevitably give investors pause about investing in the united states.
▶ 0:46:42Sen. Markey: For that reason markey amendment number three would ensure the report studies how such crony capitalism and political favoritism affect foreign investment decisions and I urge an aye vote.
▶ 0:46:55Chair Cruz: Thank you. I oppose this amendment and urge my colleagues vote no. The underlying bill is a bipartisan bill. This amendment is not drafted or intended to further those bipartisan aims. Rather this amendment is a partisan critique of president trump and the trump administration. I recognize it is no secret to anyone in this room that senator markey disagrees with president trump and indeed our democratic politics disagree with president trump.
▶ 0:47:24Chair Cruz: At the end of the day the purpose of this bill is not to voice the political disagreement of some members of this body with president trump. It is to advance bipartisan ends and for those reasons I urge a no vote rate is there any additional discussion? The park will call the roll.
▶ 0:47:43Chair Cruz: >> [roll call] the
▶ 0:48:45Chair Cruz: Nos are 15 the yeses are 13.
▶ 0:48:51Chair Cruz: The amendment is not adopted. Are there any additional discussions?
▶ 0:48:59Sen. Markey: I would call up markey amendment number six.
▶ 0:49:01Chair Cruz: You may proceed.
▶ 0:49:05Sen. Markey: This amendment would consider the commerce department considers threats to the independence of the federal reserve and its review of direct foreign investment in the united states. That is what people are looking for. They are looking for predictability in actions taken by the federal reserve in terms of interest rates and other policies.
▶ 0:49:37Sen. Markey: The sections of political interference in monetary policy through pressure on interest rate decisions or efforts to fire fed governors and rental markets and raise borrowing costs and reduce long-term investment. President trump has been aggressively undermining the fed's independence for the last few months, most notably with his effort to fire fed governor lisa cook.
▶ 0:50:02Sen. Markey: If federal policy becomes dependent on trump's every whim or political wish investors would be understandably wary of investing -- trump seeks to turn every policy into a political weapon is exactly why we have an independent central bank in the first place.
▶ 0:50:26Sen. Markey: Markey amendment number six would ensure congress competitiveness study accounts for those risks in foreign investment in our country and I urge my colleagues to vote yes and stand up for the independence of the federal reserve.
▶ 0:50:39Chair Cruz: Thank you. I oppose this commitment as well and encourage my colleagues to vote no. This is yet another political showboat. In this particular instance it is intended to criticize president trump and the trump administration for the policies concerning the federal reserve.
▶ 0:50:59Chair Cruz: The last I checked the federal reserve has nowhere near the jurisdiction of this committee and nothing to do with the underlying bill and that is a topic that is perfectly appropriate for floor speeches on the senate floor but does not belong in this bill so I urge a no vote.
▶ 0:51:12Sen. Cantwell: Mr. chairman?
▶ 0:51:17Sen. Lummis: I oppose this amendment. We determined that on the biden administration on the banking committee efforts were made to politically debank conservative organizations in various businesses such as the gas business and other businesses that were unfavorable to the biden administration.
▶ 0:51:44Sen. Lummis: Some were debanked, we determined there was guidance in the federal reserve to undertake those kinds of considerations which are extremely subjective when determining whether banks or banking companies that were out of favor with the biden administration. This cuts two ways. You are correct the banking committee has jurisdiction over this.
▶ 0:52:13Sen. Lummis: We are looking into it and will continue to do so. I too oppose this amendment. Thank you Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:52:20Chair Cruz: Is there any additional discussion?
▶ 0:52:23Sen. Cantwell: I think senator markey is just trying to make sure that as we look and encourage foreign investment that we think about what are the implications of policies just as the previous amendments did. If you're talking about a factory in washington state it is clear you cannot have it shipped on a dime.
▶ 0:52:49Sen. Cantwell: It is tough to attract investment if domestic manufacturing, tariffs, and placement see different domestic -- see different strategies. A number of studies showed investor confidence is closely tied to stable monetary policy. When investors perceive central banks have a clear plan for achieving price stability they are more confident in their ability to make those informed decisions.
▶ 0:53:13Sen. Cantwell: The underlying bill in the underlying purpose of this amendment is not to turn us into the banking committee but to make sure we are thinking about these policies and making sure these policies are clear data on the importance of fiscal policy for making these direct investments. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.
▶ 0:53:35Chair Cruz: You on a roll call? -- do you want a roll call? Is there any further discussion? We will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 0:54:35Chair Cruz: The no's are 15, the yeses are 13.
▶ 0:54:38Chair Cruz: The amendment is not adopted. Any additional amendments or discussion?
▶ 0:54:45Sen. Markey: I now call up markey amendment number eight.
▶ 0:54:49Chair Cruz: You may proceed.
▶ 0:54:52Sen. Markey: This amendment would ensure there is an inclusion of a study of the risk of foreign direct investments for erratic and ever-changing tariff policies. Investors need certainty to plan multiyear projects and establish supply chains and he rapper it -- and erratic tariff decisions create chaos that discourages building new factories, joint ventures and long-term contracts would companies large and small
▶ 0:55:23Sen. Markey: And for and investments are delayed in the united states because of trump's trade wars which are making it impossible to confidently invest or expand. I lost track on the number of times president trump has withdrawn tariffs on U.S. allies. It is dizzying for us in america to figure out where the tariff policy is today.
▶ 0:55:54Sen. Markey: It would be hard to pass an exam as to which tariff is on which country at which level at any point in time. Absolutely impossible, there is no predictability which is what foreign investors are looking for from their investment, to make sure that we are looking at those issues. Foreign investors will think twice about investing in the united states.
▶ 0:56:16Sen. Markey: They fear they will face skyrocketing costs due to tariffs or be unable to export abroad due to the trump induced trade or joint -- the trump induced trade or.
▶ 0:56:30Sen. Markey: The amendment requires the commerce department to evaluate -- every single amendment filed includes policies or government actions that would impact on foreign investment in the united states. The fed, tariff policy. We are trying to study what the impact on foreign investment would be.
▶ 0:56:56Sen. Markey: The rejection of these amendments is telling because president trump was not in the white house I think they would agree to examine the impact of violating the fed independence or erratic tariff policies. I do not think there's any question they would be calling on those subject areas to be considered as part of a study to determine what the investment environment is in our country.
▶ 0:57:23Sen. Markey: That is why I am making the amendments so we can have a comprehensive view of what is happening right now and not excluding those arbitrary and capricious actions being taken by president trump that is having an impact. With that, Mr. chairman, I thank you and I urge an aye vote.
▶ 0:57:48Chair Cruz: Thank you, senator markey. This is another political showboat and this is for the same purpose, to criticize president trump in the trump administration. It is lost on absolutely zero observers that senator markey disagrees with president trump. That is why we have elections and democracy. At the end of the day this disagreement concerns trade policy which once again is not in this committee's jurisdiction . It belongs to the finance committee.
▶ 0:58:18Chair Cruz: Much like the amendment a minute ago on the fed it is an effort to voice political disagreement with the president on an issue unrelated to the underlying bill and so I urge a no vote.
▶ 0:58:29Sen. Moreno: I hope it is not lost on my colleague from massachusetts that stellantis has announced a $13 million investment of auto plants in my state, indiana, michigan, and pennsylvania, that hyundai is investing $25 million in georgia , that volkswagen is about to invest $20 billion, and most importantly, it used to be 50% of cars last year were made in america or sold in america, this year it is 57%.
▶ 0:59:01Sen. Moreno: The people of union jobs who appreciate the fact that they are adding employment would disagree with your assessment.
▶ 0:59:06Chair Cruz: Any further discussion.
▶ 0:59:09Sen. Markey: All I am asking for is a comprehensive evaluation of the totality of all of the investment in our country. We cannot do this anecdotally on individual investments. We are looking at the totality from a macro economic perspective that inflow and outflow of capital into our country. We cannot do that anecdotally. We have to do that evidence-based. I thank you.
▶ 0:59:33Chair Cruz: Any further discussion? The clerk will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 1:00:30Chair Cruz: The no's are 15, the yeses are 13.
▶ 1:00:33Chair Cruz: The amendment is not adopted. Are there any additional amendments or further discussion?
▶ 1:00:41Sen. Markey: I have markey amendment number 13 and this will be my final amendment. This does go to the workers with the impact on workers in our country. This amendment would ensure commerce's review considers whether foreign companies pay workers in line with industry standards in the united states.
▶ 1:01:09Sen. Markey: Too often manufacturing jobs are advertised as inherently good and well paid but manufacturing unions no high wages and safe working conditions that defined many manufacturing jobs over decades of labor organizing and strife in foreign projects and joint ventures must provide workers and industry-standard conditions and protections they have earned over decades.
▶ 1:01:38Sen. Markey: Arche amendment number 13 ensures polymers -- insurers commerce review ensures foreign investors offer fair competitive wages especially compared to unionized peers in our country. United states must signal foreign investment is only welcome when it uplifts and undercuts the american worker. That should be a critical part of any study which is conducted and for that I urge an aye vote.
▶ 1:02:09Chair Cruz: Again I oppose this amendment. This is another political vote expressing senator markey's opposition to president trump. I would note senator moreno's points were well taken about the additional foreign direct investment, particularly in the auto industry.
▶ 1:02:27Chair Cruz: Senator markey is attacking the wages paid by foreign direct investment without noting that companies like japan and germany already paid wages that are at least 7% above domestic averages . I will also point out that section 4e of this bill already requires the review recommendations to strengthen the labor protections of the united states. For those reasons I urge a no vote.
▶ 1:02:54Sen. Moreno: When my colleague from massachusetts entertained an amendment to your amendment to study the effect of illegal migrants on american wages?
▶ 1:03:05Sen. Markey: If the gentleman wants to make such amendment you should propose your own amendment and I would ask you to vote on my amendment and if the gentleman has an amendment he should propose it.
▶ 1:03:15Sen. Moreno: You are ok with illegal migrants lowering wages?
▶ 1:03:21Sen. Markey: If the gentleman would wish to make that amendment he should do so. The floor is open to you to make that amendment. Please proceed with your amendment but I call for a vote on my amendment at this time.
▶ 1:03:34Sen. Cantwell: Past studies have been conducted by the international trade administration and the department of commerce and have concluded that U.S. affiliates of foreign companies tend to pay higher wages than other U.S. companies. These studies found that on average U.S. subsidiaries for forward companies pay 25% higher wages and salaries than the 7% of those established. The newest of these studies appears to be almost 10 years old.
▶ 1:04:00Sen. Cantwell: I find my college's effort to update the assessment of this as part of this legislation something that needs to be done by the department of commerce and I urge my politics to support it and we ask for a roll call vote.
▶ 1:04:11Chair Cruz: Any additional discussion? The clerk will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 1:05:08Chair Cruz: The no's are 15, the yeses are 13.
▶ 1:05:09Chair Cruz: The amendment is not adopted. Are there any additional amendments or additional discussion?
▶ 1:05:19Sen. Wicker: Let me just make sure. We are voting on s.2563 as amended by the young substitute?
▶ 1:05:36Chair Cruz: That is correct. We are voting on the underlying bill. All of those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The motion is agreed to and the bill is ordered reported favorably. I recognize ranking member cantwell for a motion.
▶ 1:05:56Sen. Cantwell: I move that the national stem week act and the integrated ocean observation system reauthorization act as amended by the wicker sullivan cantwell substitute as amended by cruise by cruiz 1, the digital postal act -- the digital coast act, the young fisherman's to filament extension act as amended by the sullivan substitute, the rotor as amended
▶ 1:06:27Sen. Cantwell: By the cruz cantwell, markey, young substitute as modified by markey one and markey two come as modified by markey four, as modified markey five, moran won and ran two as modified. The foreign robo call elimination act as amended by the blood substitute and as amended by lujan one.
▶ 1:06:57Sen. Cantwell: As modified by markey lujan one. Markey lujan two as modified. Favorably reported.
▶ 1:07:05Chair Cruz: Is there a second? All of those in favor say aye. All of those opposed say no. [applause] the motion is agreed to and the bills are ordered to be reported favorably. I asked for unanimous consent that staff are authorized to make technical and conforming changes without objection so ordered. I now recognize senator fischer for a motion.
▶ 1:07:36Sen. Fischer: I move that the nomination of harry kumar to be an assistant secretary of the department of commerce for legislative and intergovernmental affairs he favorably reported.
▶ 1:07:50Chair Cruz: Is there a second? The clerk will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 1:08:58Chair Cruz: The ayes are 15 and the no's are 13.
▶ 1:09:00Chair Cruz: The motion is agreed to in the nomination is agreed to be reported favorably. Now recognize in enter moran for a motion.
▶ 1:09:08Sen. Moran: I would like to ask you to recognize me at the appropriate time to speak in regard to the rotor act.
▶ 1:09:15Chair Cruz: Absolutely happy to do so as soon as we're done with boats.
▶ 1:09:20Sen. Moran: I move the nomination of joyce meyer to be the under secretary of commerce for economic affairs be favorably reported.
▶ 1:09:28Chair Cruz: Is there a second? The clerk will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 1:10:24Chair Cruz: The ayes are 15 and the no's are 13.
▶ 1:10:26Chair Cruz: The motion is agreed to in the nomination is ordered to be reported favorably. I now recognize senator wicker
▶ 1:10:34For A Motion For Sen. Wicker: I move that the nomination of seval oz to be the assistant secretary of transportation, research, and technology be favorably reported.
▶ 1:10:49Chair Cruz: Is there a second? The clerk will call the roll. >> [roll call]
▶ 1:11:58Chair Cruz: The ayes are 16, the no's are 12.
▶ 1:12:03Chair Cruz: The motion is agreed to in the nomination is agreed to be reported favorably. That concludes the voting we have and so senator moran asked to speak and I understand senator kim also wants to speak.
▶ 1:12:17Sen. Cantwell: I previously reported senator blunt rochester wanted to be recorded as a no, I withdraw that request.
▶ 1:12:25Chair Cruz: Senator moran you are recognized.
▶ 1:12:29Sen. Moran: And I want to take a further moment to acknowledge the work of this committee for the efforts to bolster the safety of our national airspace system represented by the rotor act which we just adopted and passed in this committee and will report to the senate. It brings back members of january 29. Those memories are certainly real for me but more real for others in the room and many across the country and around the globe.
▶ 1:12:58Sen. Moran: I know that we continue to mourn the loss of family members and victims of the tragedy that occurred that day. American airlines flight 5342 originated from wichita, kansas and change the way of how we think about air traffic safety.
▶ 1:13:23Sen. Moran: Today we seek to address many safety concerns that make our skies safer, both civilian travelers and for military men and women. Central to the conversation surrounding that day in january is the use of and the failure to use technology. Elements of adsb technology are mandated by the faa, others are not.
▶ 1:13:48Sen. Moran: This bill encourages greater adoption and integration of adsb in technologies which share an aircraft gps position, altitude, and ground speed with air traffic control and other aircraft equipment with adsbn. Broader use of this technology improve safety and could have saved lives on january 29.
▶ 1:14:14Sen. Moran: The rotor act is also forward looking and c1 I think chairman cruz and ranking member for the work as well as their partnership and the adoption of my amendments to the agreed-upon version, which bolster the underlying bill and address vulnerabilities the ntsb has identified in their investigation up to this point.
▶ 1:14:42Sen. Moran: I also take note of the presence of the chairwoman of the ntsb and thank her and her team for their tremendous support, effort to find out what occurred and how to avoid it occurring in the future. It should not take a tragedy to this point and I'm grateful to committee is taking steps to address recent accidents and taking a proactive approach to aviation safety.
▶ 1:15:12Sen. Moran: Chairman and ranking member, I think you for your leadership on this regard and I look forward to working with you.
▶ 1:15:16Chair Cruz: Thank you. Senator kim.
▶ 1:15:19Senator Kim: I had wanted to offer this amendment to the rotor act today to draw attention to addressing air traffic controller staffing and modernization including ones highlighted by the dca collision and a new jersey this past year.
▶ 1:15:46Senator Kim: This amendment extends maximum hiring of air traffic controllers to 2033, codifying the program to get more air traffic controllers, to addressing the need for getting more air traffic control instructors as well. I was heartened to see the rotor act address reforms and I hope that this will serve as a meaningful starting point for continued challenges as soon as possible.
▶ 1:16:15Senator Kim: The y withdrew the amendment to the bill I hope we can continue to advance air traffic control priorities and I know we share this priority and we could achieve this through a bipartisan air traffic control package and I want to say to the families and the loved ones of the victims especially those here today, I'm deeply sorry for your loss and I'm inspired by your efforts to channel your
▶ 1:16:49Senator Kim: Belief. May we live up to your example of selflessness in the face of strategy.
▶ 1:16:58Chair Cruz: Thank you, senator kim and I too want to think the families who are here. It takes courage to get up and keep going in the face of tragedy. Today we have seen this committee adopted unanimously legislation improving airline safety and the safety of the traveling public and I believe we will move this legislation to the floor.
▶ 1:17:26Chair Cruz: If we can get it through the house we will get it signed into law. Nothing we do will bring your loved ones back, but I'm hopeful the tragedy that occurred earlier this year will help other families not have to go through the pain and grief you are suffering. Thank you for your courage and congratulations because this victory is yours. With that, this committee is adjourned.
▶ 1:17:56Chair Cruz: [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap.org]