Just the Facts …
Title: Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee
How long in current position: In Senate since December 1968; Commerce Committee chairmanship began last week
Year of birth: 1923
Place of birth: Indianapolis
What to watch for: As chairman of the committee, he has oversight of key legislation affecting the media, ranging from efforts to crack down on indecency to checking cable TV rates.
Who knew? He was a surfer as a teenager in Manhattan Beach, Calif.