Senate Commerce Committee reports multiple Coast Guard promotions and several DOT/Commerce nominees to the Senate

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 20 reported a slate of Coast Guard promotions and several executive-branch nominations to the full Senate. Committee members praised the recently enacted major Coast Guard investment, describing it as a historic recapitalization that will fund cutters, helicopters, icebreakers and shore infrastructure. Senator Dan Sullivan specifically thanked the committee for its work on what he called the “biggest, most historic investment in the Coast Guard in U.S. history” and urged confirmation of the promotions that accompany the funding. The committee voted by roll-call to report the following nominations favorably: Paul Roberti (PN 2224) to be Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) (ayes 23, noes 5); Gregory Zirzon (PN 246-17) to be General Counsel of the Department of Transportation (ayes 15, noes 13); Taylor Jordan (PN 2523) to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce (ayes 15, noes 13); Jonathan Morrison (PN 2533) to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (ayes 16, noes 12); Derek Bars (PN 554) to be Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (ayes 15, noes 13); and Michael Rutherford (PN 5538) to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation (ayes 15, noes 13). The committee also ordered multiple Coast Guard promotions to be reported favorably by voice vote. Some senators asked for individual roll-call records or recorded their opposition in the committee's roll-call sequences; the transcript records the counts and proxy positions entered by the clerk for each nomination. Committee leadership said they would conclude recorded votes for the day and reconvene later to finish remaining nominees because members had other commitments in overlapping markups. Reporting these nominations favorably advances each candidate to the full Senate for consideration; final confirmation requires a separate vote by the full Senate. The committee did not, in the markup recorded here, attach specific implementation conditions or changes to statutory authorities with the nominations themselves.