Chairman Rockefeller’s Final Years in Senate Will Be Intense

Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) may be retiring, but he’s going to go out with a bang.

In his formal announcement speech today, the high-ranking Democrat signaled that he intends to "keep up this intensity" until he exits the Senate in 2014. Several times he referred to a “no holds barred approach.” As chairman of the Commerce committee and the No. 2 member on the Finance committee, Sen Rockefeller has a lot of clout to pursue his pet issues, including those that impact the media, advertising and telecommunications industries. Among these are: Internet privacy, media violence and the initiative to update the nation’s communications and telecommunications laws. Sen Rockefeller will also be a leading voice in the debate over how to reduce gun violence. Within days of the Sandy Hook tragedy, he crafted a bill calling for a study of the impact of violent video games and violent programming on children. The Senator could also take on updates of aging communications and telecommunications laws, especially given his recent success in getting legislation passed that will lead to the establishment of a nationwide interoperable public safety network.