Political Quotes

“many in the Carolinas and other communities in our eastern States are dealing with wind, flooding, and storm surge damage caused by Hurricane Florence. In the lead-up to this hurricane and in the ongoing response to it, Federal agencies have played and continue to perform critical roles in forecasting, public safety, rescue, and recovery. One of the key agencies involved in this effort is the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. NOAA houses the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, which is responsible for issuing watches, warnings, and forecasts of these hazardous weather events. Despite its responsibility for critical functions, NOAA has been without a Senate-confirmed Administrator for nearly 2 years due to obstruction by Senate Democrats. Barry Myers, the President's nominee to lead NOAA, was first approved by the Commerce Committee, of which I have the privilege of chairing, in December of 2017. Ten months later, his nomination sits stalled on the Senate floor, and he is far from alone. During and after disasters like a hurricane, Americans use products such as portable generators, ladders, and power tools in greater quantity and frequency than during other times. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a critical public safety mission to ensure that such products sold on store shelves or over the internet are safe.…”