On the recordJune 25, 2013
Speaking of bipartisanship, I wish to address the recent vote, the 97-to-1 vote, for Ms. Penny Pritzker. This is a very positive development at a time when we are seeing a lot of nominations that have been stalled out. As a member of the Commerce Committee, I wish to spend a few minutes talking about her nomination. I think we all know she is extremely well qualified. Over the course of her career, she has started and led a number of business ventures in a wide range of industries, such as finance, real estate, hospitality, and transportation. She has been an advocate for business and assisted companies in expanding into new markets. She is also a member of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board and is chairman of Skills for America's Future, helping to prepare workers for the 21st century. When I met with Ms. Pritzker, I was impressed not only by her experienced command of what is going on right now with our economy, obviously, but also her understanding of the Department. As we know, the Department oversees the International Trade Administration, the Patent Office, the Economic Development Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and many others. But beyond that, we talked about the fact the Commerce Secretary can actually be an advocate for business today and for jobs today.…





