Commerce Committee Advances Five Nominations, Coast Guard Vice Commandant
WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced five nominations for roles at the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Federal Maritime Commission, and National Transportation Safety Board. The Committee also voted to promote more than one hundred Coast Guardsmen, including Tom G. Allan Jr. to the position of Vice Commandant.
Cantwell, Colleagues, Call on GAO to Expand MBDA Investigation to Include Potential Violations of Court Orders by Lutnick, Other Administration Officials
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to expand its investigation into the Department of Commerce’s actions to illegally dismantle the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to include possible violations of federal district court orders and to assess whether Department leadership has taken adequate steps to ensure compliance.
Sen. Sullivan Chairs Subcommittee Hearing with Coast Guard Commandant
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, convened a hearing examining the Coast Guard’s presence in the Arctic, where he received confirmation from Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday that Alaska could receive up to four of the eleven Arctic Security Cutters announced as part of the U.S.–Finland Icebreaker Agreement and the ICE Pact.
Sen. Cantwell Pays Tribute to the 67 Individuals Who Lost Their Lives in the Jan. 29 Mid-Air Collision at Reagan National Airport and Their Families
On the eve of the one year anniversary of the mid-air collision at Reagan National Airport which took the lives of 67 individuals, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, spoke at a commemoration event to honor those who died and the families who have turned their grief into action on aviation safety. The commemoration also honored the first responders who rushed to their aid and the unsung heroes who have supported the healing process and the ongoing push for aviation safety.
Cantwell Says U.S. Can’t Win Technology Long Game Against China by Undermining American Research & Innovation
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and lead negotiator of the Chips and Science Act, said that sustained federal investment in scientific research, advanced manufacturing and Washington State-inspired regional innovation ecosystems are essential to ensuring long-term U.S. global technological leadership and economic security.
Chairman Cruz Honors the 67 Lives Lost in Mid-Air Collision at Reagan National Airport
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, spoke yesterday to commemorate the 67 lives lost one year ago today when a U.S. Army helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342. At the memorial, “Honoring the 67 & Unsung Heroes,” Sen. Cruz commended the families who worked closely with him to develop the ROTOR Act, turning their grief into advocacy to make American skies and the flying public safer.
WTAS: ROTOR Act Would Enact NTSB Recommendations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) yesterday released safety recommendations from its investigation of the midair collision involving American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter on January 29, 2025, urging all aircraft that operate where broadcasting ADS-B Out is required to also use ADS-B In.
Sen. Blackburn Raises Concerns About Ticket Resales, Consumer Impact
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Yesterday, during a hearing examining the impact of ticket sales practices in the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy, Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) grilled a representative from Live Nation Entertainment, Mr. Dan Wall, on the allegations that Ticketmaster turned a blind eye to scalpers violating ticket purchasing limits as a matter of policy. She also spoke with entertainer Robert Ritchie, better known as “Kid Rock,” on how the ticketing industry is putting scammers before artists and their fans.
Sen. Fischer Underscores Importance of FirstNet, Urges its Reauthorization
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In her opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Telecommunications and Media subcommittee hearing, Chairman Deb Fischer (R-NE) underscored the importance of FirstNet – the nation’s dedicated public safety network – and stressed the importance of reauthorizing the network before its sunset next February.
Cantwell, Duckworth, Warner, Markey, Shaheen & Klobuchar Reintroduce Legislation to Review and Strengthen FAA’s Safety Management System to Ensure Agency Comprehensively Identifies and Corrects Safety Risks
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill,), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026 to improve the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety oversight and its ability to identify and address aviation safety issues.