Votes on Nominations of Harry Kumar, Joyce Meyer, and Seval Oz, and on STEM, Oceans, Aviation Safety, and Other Legislation

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
253 Russell

10/21/2025 at 10:00AM

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee executive session on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. ET to consider the following nominations and legislation, originally scheduled for October 8:

Agenda:

  • S. 2975, PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 (Cruz, Cantwell), amended after Lujan 2 to include extreme heat and cold in the list of disasters adopted by voice vote, favorably reported by voice vote.
  • S. 2563, Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2025 (Young). Markey amendment to rein in FCC rejected 15-13 on party lines. Markey amendment #3 on Trump emoluments rejected 15-13 on party lines. Markey amendment #6 on Federal Reserve independence rejected 15-13 on party lines after Lummis complained about oil and gas businesses being “debanked”. Markey amendment #8 on erratic tariff policies rejected 15-13 on party lines after Cruz called it a “political showboat” and Moreno “vehemently disagreed.” Markey amendment #13 on foreign-company wage standards rejected 15-13 on party lines after Moreno raised the question of “illegal migrants lowering wages” and Cantwell noted the last such Commerce study is ten years old. Favorably reported by voice vote.

Upon the motion of Cantwell, favorably reported en bloc by voice vote:

  • S. 1070, National STEM Week Act (Ernst)
  • S. 2126, Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Wicker)
  • S. 2245, Digital Coast Act (Baldwin)
  • S. 2357, Young Fishermen’s Development Extension Act (Sullivan)
  • S. 2503, ROTOR Act (Cruz)
  • S. 2666, Foreign Robocall Elimination Act (Budd)

Upon the motion of Fischer:

  • Nomination of Harry Kumar, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs: With Thune proxy; reported favorably on party lines 15-13.

Upon the motion of Moran:

  • Nomination of Joyce Meyer, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs: With Thune proxy; reported favorably 15-13.

Upon the motion of Wicker:

  • Nomination of Seval Oz, of California, to be the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology: With Thune proxy and Peters (D-Mich.) aye, reported favorably 16-12.

Kumar’s nomination hearing took place on July 9th. He is a former Trump Department of Commerce official, oil industry lobbyist, and chief lobbyist for battery-recycling startup Li-Cycle, which recently filed for bankruptcy. He is currently Senior Advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Oz’s nomination hearing took place on July 23rd. Oz was Head of Global Strategic Partnerships for Google [X]’s Self-Driving Car Program from 2011 to 2014, where she supported business and marketing efforts for the initiative that later became Waymo. Oz recently served on the board of directors of MicroVision Inc., an advanced driver-assistance systems software company. She is Mehmet Oz’s sister.

Meyer’s nomination hearing took place on September 17th. She served as the White House’s deputy director of legislative affairs during Trump’s first term, and was a long-time staffer of the former Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.). She would oversee the U.S. Census Bureau.