WTAS: President Trump Congratulates Chairman Cruz for Spectrum Deal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump applauded U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, for his deal on spectrum in the budget reconciliation text. Sen. Cruz worked with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, to broker a deal on spectrum that bolsters American global leadership in wireless technologies.
Cantwell Statement on Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s “Reform” of BEAD Broadband Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the following statement on Commerce Secretary Lutwick’s “new guidance” on the BEAD program:
Cantwell Statement on GOP Spectrum Auction Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, criticized Senate Republicans’ spectrum auction language released on Thursday, June 5, 2025 for failing to protect aviation safety and national security. The proposal would require the FCC to sell off at least 100 Mhz of spectrum in the upper C-Band, directly adjacent to the spectrum used for aircraft altimeters, within just two years. When the first Trump administration auctioned the lower C-Band—even further from aircraft altimeter spectrum—the FAA was so concerned about potential interference it nearly grounded every airplane in the country in early 2022.
Chairman Cruz Releases Budget Reconciliation Text
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, unveiled his legislative directives for Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill. The Commerce Committee’s reconciliation language will reduce deficits by more than $40 billion over a decade, rescind more than $1.4 billion in wasteful spending, revitalize the American economy, improve the nation’s transportation infrastructure, strengthen national security, and bolster domestic innovation and manufacturing.
In Wake of DCA Collision Tragedy, Senators Cantwell, Duckworth, Klobuchar, Warnock, Kaine, Warner and Markey Introduce the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 to strengthen aviation safety at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), airports across the nation, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This bill is the first comprehensive aviation safety legislation responding to the January 29, 2025 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional commercial jet operating as American Airlines flight 5342 near DCA that took the lives of 67 people.
Senate Commerce Announces Nomination Hearing for Bryan Bedford to Lead the FAA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a nomination hearing for Bryan Bedford, nominee to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, at 10:00 AM EST on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
Finding Nemo’s Future: Conflicts over Ocean Resources
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, will convene a hearing titled “Finding Nemo’s Future: Conflicts over Ocean Resources” on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 10:00 am EST. This hearing will examine U.S. efforts to counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and explore opportunities to strengthen enforcement, coordination, and technological innovation. The hearing will evaluate existing legislative authorities and international agreements and examine policy options to advance maritime domain awareness and promote responsible ocean governance in the face of rising IUU activity.
Facing Extreme Hurricane & Wildfire Seasons, Cantwell Slams Admin’s Erosion of Weather Forecasting: “NOAA Has Been Transparent That They Can’t Keep Up”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined renowned meteorologists from across the country for a virtual presser to sound the alarm on cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) as the United States heads into peak hurricane and wildfire season – and call on the Trump Administration to restore the agency to full capacity.
Trump’s Rescission Package Defunds Essential Public Broadcasting Across the Nation to Pay for Tax Cuts for Billionaires
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s rescission package that claws back $1.1 billion in appropriated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Democrats Continue to Hammer Trump Administration on Illegally Gutting Agency Dedicated to Growing Minority Owned Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) continued to hammer the Trump Administration for its illegal dismantling of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Today, the Senators asked the GAO to investigate whether actions by Trump Commerce Department officials or others in the Administration violated congressional directives, the extent to which they undermined MBDA’s congressional mandate and whether any officials have engaged in misconduct.