Senators Sound Alarm on Panama’s Treaty Violations, Corruption Allegations, Fee Manipulation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At today’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the Panama Canal’s impact on U.S. trade and national security, Senate Republicans raised concerns about Panama’s management of the canal, citing allegations of corruption, including a no-bid port concession awarded to the Chinese firm Hutchison Ports PPC. The senators underscored longstanding concerns about China’s growing influence in Panama and argued that Panama is violating the Neutrality treaty signed when the U.S. turned over control of the canal.
Sens. Cruz, Schatz, Murphy, Britt Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Keep Kids Safe, Healthy, and Off Social Media
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced bipartisan legislation to keep kids off social media and help protect them from its harmful impacts. The Kids Off Social Media Act would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms and prevent social media companies from feeding algorithmically-targeted content to users under the age of 17. In addition to Schatz, Cruz, Murphy, and Britt, the Kids Off Social Media Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.)., Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and John Curtis (R-Utah).
Sens. Cruz, Schatz, Britt, and Tuberville Introduce Bill Targeting Illegal Fishing Operations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced the bipartisan Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, which directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper and certain species of tuna imported into the United States.
Cruz Applauds Strong Bipartisan Senate Support for Sean Duffy to Lead DOT
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation issued the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the Honorable Sean Duffy, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. Secretary of Transportation by a vote of 77 yeas and 22 nays.
Sen. Cruz: Evidence Shows Panama May Be in Violation of Canal Treaty
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing titled “Fees and Foreign Influence: Examining the Panama Canal and Its Impact on U.S. Trade and National Security,” Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stressed the importance of the Panama Canal for the American economy and voiced concerns over China’s growing influence in the region. The Panama Canal facilitates 40 percent of U.S. seaborne container traffic and six percent of all global trade, but China has exploited Panama’s institutional weakness to evade U.S. sanctions and impose unfair charges on U.S. commerce and Naval ships.
Cantwell Calls for Revitalized US Maritime Strategy to Secure Panama Canal from Foreign Adversaries, Increase Trade and Lower Costs for Americans
Following today’s Commerce Committee hearing on the Panama Canal, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, reiterated the need for continued U.S.-Panama cooperation to increase investments in port infrastructure and cybersecurity measures that will strengthen national security, increase trade and lower costs for consumers. The senator will request Defense officials to brief Committee members on foreign threats to the Panama Canal and plans to lead a delegation to visit the Canal’s operations.
Chairman Cruz Leads Senate Commerce GOP in Effort to Stop Biden FCC from Subsidizing Kids’ Unsupervised Internet Access
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) led 13 Senate Commerce Republicans in introducing a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) that would nullify a partisan FCC order that violates federal law, creates major risks for kids’ online safety, harms parental rights, and will increase taxes on working families.
Cantwell, Blackburn, Blunt Rochester Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Supply Chain Disruptions, Protect American Producers & Pocketbooks
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), members of the Committee, re-introduced the bipartisan Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act that would authorize the Department of Commerce to strengthen American supply chains for critical industries and emerging technologies by working with the private sector and U.S. government partners to anticipate and prevent future supply chain disruptions before they happen. In the process, it will also identify opportunities to grow manufacturing capacity and jobs, and reduce costs for American consumers.
Senate Commerce Announces Nomination Hearing for Howard Lutnick to Lead Department of Commerce
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 Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The nomination hearing will immediately follow an executive session to consider the rules governing the committee for the 119th Congress, which will begin at 10:00 AM EST on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
DOT Nominee Sean Duffy Clears Commerce Committee Unanimously
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), voted to advance President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Transportation, the Honorable Sean Duffy, to the full Senate with unanimous support from committee members. Duffy’s nomination passed the committee by a vote of 28 yeas and 0 nays.