WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo inviting them to an open meeting with him and other members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) to discuss the ongoing supply chain crisis. This meeting invite follows Senator Scott's earlier request made in October when, on the Senate floor, he requested that the secretaries testify before the CST Committee. Following this initial request, last month Senator Scott sent a letter to CST Chair, Senator Maria Cantwell, where he noted he would object to expedited confirmation of all Commerce and Transportation nominees until the secretaries testified before the committee and addressed the supply chain crisis impacting families and businesses everywhere. As of today, Secretaries Buttigieg and Raimondo, and Chair Cantwell, have failed to respond to Senator Scott’s requests.

Read the letter HERE or below.

December 10, 2021

The Honorable Pete Buttigieg

Secretary of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE

Washington, D.C. 20590

The Honorable Gina Raimondo

Secretary of Commerce

U.S. Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20230

Dear Secretary Buttigieg and Secretary Raimondo:

It is clear that President Joe Biden’s insistence on forcing failed policies on the American people has pushed the United States into a major supply chain crisis. The higher prices and product shortages resulting from this crisis are hurting families and businesses in my state of Florida and across the nation. As we get closer and closer to Christmas, American ports continue to experience severe cargo delays and today we saw inflation go up AGAIN – reaching a new record high.

Restoring our supply chains is critical to getting the American economy rolling again and we cannot wait to act. That’s why I wrote to Senator Maria Cantwell, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, last month to request that she invite both of you to immediately come to our committee and provide public testimony on the Biden administration’s actions to solve the ongoing supply chain crisis. Unfortunately, my simple request has gone unanswered.

In my letter to Chair Cantwell, I made it clear that until the Commerce Committee heard from each of you, I would be holding all nominees from the Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce from receiving an expedited confirmation process. My holds are not personal, but rather to ensure accountability to the American people who continue to wait for you to start fixing the supply chain crisis that impacts their lives every day.

As I am sure you know, the Senate will be in session next week. This provides an excellent opportunity for both of you to come meet with myself and any other members of the Commerce Committee in an open setting so that we, as well as the media and the public, can hear from you directly.

It’s time to work together to put in place real solutions that begin to fix this crisis and get American supply chains back in working order. I truly hope that you will take this opportunity to be transparent with Congress and the American people, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Rick Scott

United States Senator

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