Senate Commerce Committee reports nominations and multiple bills but defers Sunshine Protection Act after procedural objection

At a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation markup, senators voted to report two Federal Communications Commission nominations, the nomination of Jared Isaacman for NASA administrator, and an en bloc package of bills addressing everything from fisheries to blockchain policy. Committee members later raised a procedural objection that required the Sunshine Protection Act to be moved to a future markup for additional consideration.

The committee ordered the nominations of Olivia Trustee to the Federal Communications Commission favorably reported after an en bloc motion from Senator Roger Wicker. Wicker noted that one nomination completes a term expiring June 30, 2025, and the accompanying nomination would be a five-year term beginning July 1, 2025. The committee recorded 21 ayes and 7 noes on the Trustee nominations, and the nominations were sent to the Senate with a favorable recommendation.

The committee also voted to report Jared Isaacman, the president’s nominee to be administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, favorably. Senator Jerry Moran moved Isaacman’s nomination; the roll call recorded 19 yeses and 9 noes, and the nomination was ordered reported favorably.

Committee members moved and approved an en bloc report of a long list of bills, including the Main Event Act (S.196), the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act (S.259), the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program Reauthorization Act (S.320), the Combating CCP Labor Abuses Act (S.580), the Contaminated Wells Relocation Act (S.606), the FISH Act (S.688) as amended, Enhancing First Responder Act (S.725) as amended, the United States Research Protection Act (S.697), Lula’s Law (S.1003), the Comprehensive NASA Reporting Act (S.1081) as amended, the Fog Observation and Geographic Forecasting Act (S.1278), the TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act (S.1378) as amended, the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act (S.1433) as amended, the Ascend Act (S.1437) as amended, and the Deploying American Blockchains Act (S.1492). Senator Maria Cantwell moved the en bloc package; the clerk recorded the motion as agreed to and the bills were ordered to be reported favorably. One senator announced an intention to be recorded as voting no on S.1081 (the Comprehensive NASA Reporting Act) during the en bloc vote.

Separately, Senator Lummis moved to report S.29, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, as amended. The roll call on the final bill showed 16 yeses and 12 noes, and the motion was recorded as agreed to. After that vote, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell raised a procedural point, saying, “we did not have a sufficient number of members present voting in favor to advance the measure. There are only currently 10 ayes present.” The chair responded that the committee will address the matter at a later markup when sufficient members are present. As a result, the committee deferred further action on S.29 and moved it to a future markup for resolution of the procedural issue.

The committee also approved a Coast Guard nomination: PN114, John Manzilio’s nomination to be lieutenant commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, was moved and agreed to without roll call and was ordered reported favorably.

The committee’s business concludes with staff authorized to make technical and conforming changes to the reported measures.

Votes at a glance: Olivia Trustee (FCC) — reported favorably (ayes 21, noes 7); Jared Isaacman (NASA) — reported favorably (ayes 19, noes 9); S.29 Sunshine Protection Act — recorded roll call 16–12 but later deferred for lack of sufficient members physically present and moved to a later markup; en bloc package of bills listed above — ordered to be reported favorably (individual roll-call tallies not recorded in the transcript for most items); PN114 John Manzilio (Coast Guard) — reported favorably (voice vote).