Cantwell, Moran Introduce Bill to Boost AI Education
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Commerce Committee, introduced the bipartisan NSF AI Education Act of 2026 to expand scholarship and professional development opportunities to study artificial intelligence with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Cantwell, Young, Hickenlooper and Blackburn Reintroduce Bill to Ensure U.S. Leads Global AI Innovation
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) today reintroduced the bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act, which lays the foundation to maintain U.S. leadership in the global race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. The legislation promotes strong partnerships between government, business, civil society and academia to advance AI research. It authorizes the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to promote the development of voluntary standards and creates testbeds with national labs to accelerate groundbreaking AI innovation for the benefit of future economic growth and national security.
Cantwell, Husted, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Railway Safety Act
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) reintroduced the Bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2026. Three years ago, following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Sen. Cantwell led passage of the safety legislation through the Commerce Committee, yet it stalled on the Senate floor due to opposition by Republicans and railroad executives.
Cantwell, Moran Reintroduce Bill to Help Small Business Leverage AI Tools
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Committee, reintroduced the bipartisan Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training Act of 2026 that would authorize the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to work with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to create and distribute artificial intelligence (AI) training resources and tools to help small businesses leverage AI in their operations.
Cantwell Warns Trump Administration Gutting of NHTSA Puts Americans at Risk as Self-Driving Cars Take to the Road in Increasing Numbers
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee warned that the Trump administration’s gutting of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will make it impossible for the agency to regulate autonomous vehicle technology to protect consumers while at the same time support the future growth of self-driving cars in the United States. Sen. Cantwell also emphasized the importance of ensuring consumers have a means for holding Autonomous Vehicle (AV) companies accountable.
Cantwell Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on Autonomous Vehicles
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the below opening statement at a hearing on the future of self-driving vehicles featuring testimony from Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering at Tesla, Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Pena, Jeff Farrah, Chief Executive Office for the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and Professor Bryant Walker Smith, Associate Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina’s Rice School of Law.
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.
Cantwell, Klobuchar, Markey Raise Concerns on the Use of AI in Toys
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the Consumer Product Safety Commission to address the safety risks of AI in children’s toys.
PHMSA Officials Weakening Federal Safety Protections Amid Conflict-of Interest Allegations
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, sent letters to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Deputy Administrator Ben Kochman and PHMSA Chief Counsel Keith Coyle, as well as Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) and INGAA Foundation President & CEO Amy Andryszak, regarding serious conflict of interest allegations raised in a recent ProPublica story. The story clearly describes how Kochman—whom INGAA employed as its Director of Pipeline Safety Policy until President Trump appointed him to PHMSA in January 2025—and Coyle, a former attorney for INGAA, have spearheaded efforts to weaken safety laws opposed and disfavored by INGAA while also significantly curtailing safety enforcement actions against companies INGAA represents.
Ranking Member Cantwell Statement on Trump AI Executive Order
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement on the AI Executive Order signed yesterday by President Trump: