Cantwell, Brown, Vance, Casey, Fetterman Lead Senate Resolution Declaring Rail Safety Week
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Ohio and Pennsylvania Sens. Sherrod Brown, J.D. Vance, Bob Casey and John Fetterman, introduced a resolution designating September 23-29 as “Rail Safety Week.” The resolution outlines the need to reduce accidents and injuries at highway-rail crossings, prevent derailments and rail worker fatalities, and improve the safe transportation of hazardous materials.
Cantwell Leads Amtrak Board Nomination Hearing, Discusses Rail Safety, On-Time Performance, Western Service Expansion
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing for President Biden’s nominees, David Capozzi, Samuel Lathem, Ronald Batory and Elaine Clegg, to serve as members on the Amtrak Board of Directors.
Commerce Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill to Ensure U.S. Leads Global AI Innovation
Today, the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passed the bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act to maintain United States leadership in the global race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. Led by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee, Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), the bill promotes strong partnerships between government, business, civil society and academia to advance AI research. It authorizes the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and creates testbeds with national labs to accelerate groundbreaking AI innovation that will spur future economic growth and protect national security.
Commerce Committee Passes Bipartisan Cantwell-Moran Bills to Boost AI Education, Help Small Businesses Leverage AI Tools
Today, the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passed the bipartisan National Science Foundation AI Education Act, to expand AI educational opportunities across all levels, and the bipartisan Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training Act, to help small businesses leverage AI in their operations. Both bills were introduced by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee, and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Committee.
Tech Leaders, AI Innovators Underscore Importance of AI Safety Institute Ahead of Committee Consideration of Cantwell-Young Future of AI Innovation Act
Leading tech organizations, companies and safety policy advocates from across the artificial intelligence (AI) community wrote Commerce Committee leaders today urging passage of the Cantwell-Young Future of AI Innovation Act that would codify the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Cantwell Probes Union Pacific Railroad Following Interference With Federal Audit of Company’s Safety Culture
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, sent a letter yesterday to the President of Union Pacific Railroad, Beth Whited, regarding its efforts to manipulate the results of a recent Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) safety culture audit by “coaching” employees across the company to provide certain responses to safety surveys and to report all interactions with FRA safety inspectors to company leaders.
Cantwell Applauds House Introduction of Rail Safety Legislation
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, applauded today’s House introduction of the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024, led by House Transportation and Infrastructure Railroad Subcommittee leaders Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Rep Seth Moulton (D-Mass.).
Experts Warn Senators AI is Upping the Urgency for Federal Privacy Law
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, convened a hearing this morning with legal, policy and private sector privacy and artificial intelligence (AI) experts to explore how the rapid advancement of AI is accelerating the urgency to pass a federal privacy law.
Following NTSB East Palestine Meeting, Cantwell Renews Calls for Congress to Pass Bipartisan Rail Legislation
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, renewed her calls for Congress to pass the bipartisan Railway Safety Act following today’s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) public hearing in East Palestine, Ohio, on its investigation into the cause of last year’s disastrous train derailment.
Cantwell, Moran Introduce Bill to Help Small Business Leverage AI Tools
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Committee, today introduced the bipartisan Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training and Toolkit Act of 2024 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.