Cantwell Applauds Senate Confirmation of Federal Railroad Administrator to Lead $66B Infrastructure Investments for Nation, Washington State

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today underscored the importance of having a strong leader at the helm of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to effectively and efficiently deploy the infrastructure investments and programs set forth in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Today, the Senate approved the nomination of Amit Bose to head the FRA by a vote of 68-29.

Cantwell, Wicker Introduce Bipartisan Surface Reauthorization

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) today introduced the Surface Transportation Investment Act which authorizes $78 billion over five years to address key infrastructure and safety priorities broken out as follows: $36 billion for rail, $27.8 billion for multimodal grant programs and $13 billion for […]

Chair Cantwell’s Resolution Honoring Amtrak’s 50 Years of Service Passes Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, a bipartisan resolution, led by Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA), honoring Amtrak’s 50 years of serving American communities, unanimously passed the United States Senate. “For fifty years, Amtrak lines have been a lifeblood of travel in the United States,” Chair Cantwell said. “In my home state of Washington, […]

Cantwell, Blunt Introduce Bill to Address Dangerous and Costly At-Grade Crossing Delays

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) today introduced legislation that will provide $500 million a year for five years to improve safety and reduce congestion at railroad crossings in communities around the country. “Communities throughout Washington state know the […]

Cantwell Praises Transportation Department’s Rollback of Trump Rule Limiting States’ Rights to Enact Own Vehicle Standards

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the below statement regarding the Department of Transportation’s action freeing states to raise standards for the fuel efficiency of vehicles: “I commend the Department of Transportation for restoring the rights of states like California and Washington to […]

Chair Cantwell Statement on President Biden’s Infrastructure Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement on President Biden’s infrastructure investment and job creation plan: “We must strengthen and expand America’s infrastructure to remain competitive and secure in the 21st century. As we recover from the COVID crisis, […]

Chair Cantwell Releases Report on Safety and Congestion Challenges Facing At-Grade Railroad Crossings

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released a report studying and assessing safety and efficiency concerns at at-grade railroad crossings. The report, previewed by Chair Cantwell during today’s committee hearing on transportation infrastructure, finds that current federal programs are not sufficient […]

Cantwell Identifies Top Transportation Infrastructure Priorities; Calls For Robust Investment at Commerce Hearing

Opening Statement Video | Audio | Transcript American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives U.S. infrastructure a “C-“ grade  Cantwell’s top three infrastructure bill priorities: mega projects, freight infrastructure investment, and highway-rail at-grade crossings Without investment, the ASCE estimates the nation will lose $10 trillion in GDP by 2039 WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Maria […]

Committee Approves Deputy Secretary of Transportation Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved President Biden’s nomination of Polly Trottenberg to be Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation by a bipartisan 24-4 vote. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the committee, praised Trottenberg’s qualifications in her remarks at the hearing: “I believe […]