Hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce - Nomination Hearing

Hearing

Chairman John Thune:

Good morning. Today we welcome three well-qualified nominees to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee.

The nominees before us today have been nominated to two important independent agencies, Becca Slaughter to be a Commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission, and Michelle Schultz and Patrick Fuchs, to be Members of the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Thank you Ms. Slaughter, Ms. Shultz, and Mr. Fuchs for your willingness to serve, and thank you to your families for your presence today. I also want to congratulate Ms. Slaughter on the most recent addition to her family, a little girl who was born only last week.

The FTC oversees competition and consumer protection across large segments of the U.S. economy. Congress originally created the FTC as an independent agency in 1914 to address the problem of monopolies and trusts, but its role has evolved to include its modern day consumer protection mission, a mission that will likely continue to grow, as new technologies emerge in the 21st century the marketplace.

Ms. Slaughter has been nominated to become a Commissioner at the FTC. She is a graduate of Yale College as well as Yale Law School, and the majority of her career has been right here on Capitol Hill working for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Throughout her time on Capitol Hill she has developed a reputation as a talented staffer with an ability to work across the aisle. This will serve her well at the FTC.

The STB is responsible for the regulatory oversight of our nation's freight rail network. In states like South Dakota, where farmers and businesses depend on rail service to get their products to market, the STB plays a critical role in ensuring access to reliable and efficient rail service for large and small shippers alike.

Ms. Shultz is an exceptionally well-qualified nominee for the STB, having worked at the Southern Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, for the past 11 years.

She currently serves as Deputy General Counsel and, in that role, is responsible for advising SEPTA on complex regulatory, statutory, and administrative law matters at the local, state, and federal level. Relevant to this Committee, Ms. Shultz provided guidance to the U.S. Senate on compliance issues involving the federal mandate for Positive Train Control implementation for public passenger transportation.

Finally, Patrick Fuchs has served an invaluable role as a Senior Professional Staff Member for me on this Committee for over three years.

His extensive knowledge of the transportation industry, especially with respect to rail operations, as well as his insight into the legislative process, has been instrumental to the Committee's work.

During his time serving this Committee, Patrick drafted and played a critical role in the successful passage of the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act, the first reauthorization of the Board since its creation.

The bill included important changes for agricultural producers and businesses, establishing the STB as a fully independent agency, directing the STB to set shorter timelines for reviewing rate cases, and providing the agency with the ability to proactively resolve problems before they escalate into larger disputes by conducting investigations on the agency's own initiative. The Act also sought to promote collaboration among the Board Members by allowing them to discuss agency matters with one another with proper disclosure.

Patrick was also instrumental in drafting many other important pieces of legislation, including the FAST Act and the first passenger rail reauthorization in over seven years. Prior to working on the Committee, Patrick served as a policy analyst on transportation and security matters at the Office of Management and Budget.

Those of us who have had the opportunity to work with Patrick have seen first-hand how incredibly capable and talented he is.

I am confident that the Surface Transportation Board will be extremely well-served by Patrick's experience, expertise, and dedication, and, while we will certainly miss his hard work on the Commerce Committee, I know he is looking forward to serving on the STB.

As I've noted, all three of these nominees are exceptionally well-qualified to serve the nation in the positions to which they have been nominated. They have all demonstrated their dedication to working on the important issues facing our country, and I look forward to their swift confirmation.

Once again, I would like to thank you all for testifying today and for your willingness to fill these important posts.

I will now turn to Ranking Member Nelson for any opening remarks.

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