I hope you saw my latest weekly column.

 

ROGER WICKER: Lawmakers passed coronavirus relief, military funding, and
broadband measures
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This year has brought challenges that few could have imagined. The coronavirus
pandemic has upended daily routines and claimed more than 275,000 American
lives. Last month, however, we received some positive news with the
announcement that several vaccines are effective and safe for use. With vaccine
distribution beginning later this month, Americans can take heart that this
dark season may soon be behind us.


The coronavirus has consumed much of Congress’s attention this year. As we
enter the final weeks of the 116th Congress, it is worth reflecting on the
major actions Congress has taken both before and during the pandemic.


Wicker chairs Commerce Committee


Two years ago, I became chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. This
committee oversees a range of issues affecting our economy, including the
internet, broadband, transportation, oceans, space, and the Coast Guard. Since
I became chairman, the committee has passed nearly 20 bills that have become
law, and dozens more are nearing completion. We have also helped shape many
laws written by the House.


One of our major achievements was the Broadband DATA Act, a law I authored to
make sure broadband is deployed in unserved rural communities. We also crafted
a law to protect U.S. telecommunications networks from Chinese espionage. We
approved a law ratifying the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, a pivotal
treaty that will help protect American jobs. And we have led the way in
fighting online censorship and bias. I convened the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter,
and Google for a hearing on this issue and have introduced legislation to
encourage the protection of free speech online.


Another proud moment this Congress was getting Medgar and Myrlie Evers’s home
in Jackson established as a National Monument. I am glad his brother Charles
lived to see this important recognition take place before his passing a few
months ago.


Covid-19 legislation leads to vaccines


Soon after the pandemic began, Congress passed the CARES Act to provide relief
for families, workers, and businesses across America. This included relief
checks for individuals and forgivable loans for small businesses. I helped
write a section of the law that gave a critical lifeline to airlines and
airports, which are vital in connecting our economy. I also worked to include a
provision expanding telehealth services for Medicare patients, and I supported
investing billions in vaccine research and development. Because of this crucial
investment, Operation Warp Speed is developing vaccines at a record pace for
distribution to the public soon.


Senate delivers on long-term priorities


In 2017, lawmakers recognized the need for a bigger Navy by passing my SHIPS
Act, which requires the Navy to have 355 ships as soon as possible. The current
Congress has made progress toward that goal by authorizing the construction of
13 new ships in 2020 and seven additional ships in pending legislation. Several
of these vessels will be built by our expert shipbuilders in Mississippi.

 

One of the most important legacies of this Congress will be a strengthened
judiciary. The Senate has confirmed 144 judges in the last two years and nearly
230 judges since President Trump took office. These include three Supreme Court
justices and three judges from Mississippi. Because of the Senate’s work, more
than one-quarter of all federal judges serving lifetime terms are Trump
appointees. These conservative judges will help preserve our constitutional
freedoms and the rule of law for decades to come.

 

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Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker

 

 

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