Penny Pritzker - Hearing on Nomination for U.S. Secretary of Commerce lyrics

Prepared Opening Statement – Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman “Nomination of Ms. Penny Pritzker to be Secretary of Commerce” Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:00 a.m. I would like to call this nominations hearing to order. We are meeting today to consider a distinguished nominee to be the next Secretary of Commerce. Ms. Pritzker's nomination comes at an important time during our nation's economic recovery. While we have the lowest levels of unemployment in four years, too many people are still out of work, and the across-the-board budget cuts imposed in March are creating a new drag on the economy. Our nominee understands these challenges. Your decades of experience in the private sector – investing in and managing numerous companies – have given you the sk**s to manage a large department. You come from the business community and understand their needs. But your long track-record as a civic leader is also going to serve you well in this position. As many already know, you served on the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. You also served as Chairman of the Aspen Institute's Sk**s for America's Future project, which has fostered partnerships between more than 40 employers and 200 community colleges across the country. Each of these experiences will be important to your task at Commerce. The Commerce Secretary is in charge of 12 different bureaus with more than 40,000 employees. But to do the job well, you will need to reach far beyond the people under your direct management. The Department of Commerce serves very different constituencies that touch all corners of our economy. • You will need to appreciate the immediate financial challenges struggling fishermen in the Northeast are facing, while managing and conserving the nation's fisheries for the future. • You will need to find ways to improve the resilience of coastal communities who face increasing threats from storms and sea level rise. • You will need to work directly with businesses and communities, partnering with them to create jobs and expand opportunities. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is one of the centerpieces of the Department's work. Whether it is the creation of cyber-security standards or the development of manufacturing hubs for small- and medium-sized businesses, the private sector has to rely on and trust the Commerce Department's work. This trust is crucial to the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Ms. Pritzker, we will be depending on you to continue this collaboration and strengthen it where necessary. One crucial area of public-private collaboration is the development of the wireless economy. This Committee is closely following the Department's efforts in this area. Expanding the spectrum available for wireless services and relieving the so-called “spectrum crunch” will be vital to jobs and growth in the nation in the years to come. At the same time, smart spectrum policy includes protecting vital federal operations. I expect that the Department will continue to work in close cooperation with federal agencies and the private sector to open up more spectrum to meet our nation's spectrum needs. Finally, the Commerce Department manages our nation's severe storm warning systems and weather satellites. The terrible tragedy in Oklahoma is a stark reminder to us of the vital role that the National Weather Service plays in extreme weather events. In severe conditions like we saw in Oklahoma earlier this week, minutes matter and are the difference between life and d**h. As bad as the devastation was, the timely emergency warnings issued by the National Weather Service likely saved lives. Even as it faces budget cuts imposed by the sequester, the National Weather Service is leading a new “Weather Ready Nation” initiative to improve communications during severe weather events, and to build community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather. This is one of the many important efforts you will be leading when you become Secretary of Commerce, Ms. Pritzker. Thank you for your willingness to serve. With that, I look forward to your testimony and hearing from my colleagues.