Click here to watch Senator Blunt Rochester’s full exchange with the nominees.
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, participated in a confirmation hearing for three of the president’s nominees for positions within the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The nominees were Dr.Neil Jacobs to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Taylor Jordan to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, and Harry Kumar to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.Blunt Rochester’s questions were focused on the consequences of major budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), getting responses to congressional oversight letters that have so far been ignored, and the urgent need to protect the National Sea Grant College Program on behalf of Delaware communities like Laurel in Sussex County.
To watch the full hearing, click here. Key excerpts can be found below:
On the consequences of NOAA budget cuts
Senator Blunt Rochester: “Gutting NOAA is a costly mistake that Americans will pay the price through rising home insurance rates, destroyed communities, and in some cases, their lives. I hope there is a real focus on this and that NOAA gets the support it needs. As the ranking member of the Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries Subcommittee, I understand the role that NOAA plays in safeguarding our marine ecosystems, supporting our coastal communities, and enforcing laws against illegal, unreported, and unregulated, or IUU, fishing.
Right now, NOAA’s capacity to do this work is under serious threat. The Office of Marine and Aviation Operations is currently short 180 mariners, and without an exemption from the hiring freeze as was discussed, 30% of NOAA’s research fleet will remain docked this summer. In a recent subcommittee hearing on IUU fishing, I asked the witnesses, Democrats and Republicans, what the impact of a 30% cut to NOAA’s enforcement would mean for tracking and prosecuting illegal activity on the high seas, and the responses that all of them painted were very bleak. Dr. Jacobs, what is your plan to mitigate this loss of operational capacity, and how will you ensure NOAA can deliver on its scientific mission with such a reduced fleet?”
Dr. Jacobs: “Thank you for the question. So, I definitely understand your concerns, and I think it’s – if confirmed, I will get in there and really take a look at the staffing levels because there is a difference between the wage mariners and the law enforcement when it comes to the IUU fishing. And I also understand that the issue with the wage mariners and not having the hiring freeze lift is challenging, particularly in this market because it is so competitive with industry for the same jobs.
So, my approach if confirmed would be to focus on making sure that we try to get the wage mariners situation sorted out as well as looking at other options – potentially autonomous vehicles to do certain fish surveys if we can use those instead. So, would definitely appreciate working with you on this.”
On the Sea Grant Program
Senator Blunt Rochester: “I want to end with something we discussed in my office which was the Sea Grant Program. I think it is a vitally important program, particularly for communities across this country, including the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam. It is one of those things that really helps the communities.
You talk about the big data. If we have the data but people don’t understand how they can apply it and use it, how it can help with economic development, how it can help with resiliency, making sure that our communities are safe? It does us no good. And so, in our meeting, I was pleased to hear you say this program is awesome. Those are your words, ‘awesome.’ So, I am imploring you to make sure this program is protected because again, it does so much for our local communities, for our business opportunities, and really to make sure that folks are safe.”
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.