Pallone Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Markup of Three Bills

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) delivered the following opening remarks at an Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee markup of three bills:

Today, the Subcommittee is considering three bills: an updated draft of the American Privacy Rights Act discussion draft, the Kids Online Safety Act, and the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which I introduced with Chairman Bilirakis earlier this week.  

Our bipartisan legislation will ensure that all new vehicles come equipped with AM radios. We know firsthand that AM radios can be lifesavers in emergency situations when other means of communication such as cellphone towers may be down. AM radio waves are uniquely resilient and can travel long distances, making them a valuable communication tool in emergencies, including when we used AM radio to help coordinate relief efforts in my district when Hurricane Sandy ravaged our community. I thank the Chairman for working with me on this important bill and I looking forward to advancing it today.  

I also appreciate the hard work that went into preparing the updated draft of the American Privacy Rights Act that we’ll consider today. We are long overdue for a comprehensive national privacy law that puts people back in control of their personal data, and today we are taking another significant step toward that goal.  

I will discuss this bill further when it is brought up. I commend Chair Rodgers for inserting language that seeks to address several of my and Democrats' highest priorities, but there is still more work to do. I know we can continue to work to further strengthen the bill as we advance to a full Committee markup. It’s absolutely critical that we get this done for the American people.

I will also discuss KOSA when it is called up by the Chairman.  

In closing, I’m grateful to members on both sides of the aisle for their hard work that helped get us here today and I yield back the balance of my time.  

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