Cantwell Delivers Opening Remarks at July 22 Commerce Committee Markup
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the below opening statement at today’s markup of six nominations and seven pieces of legislation, including the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act:
Senator Andy Kim Warns Against Trump Aim to Privatize Airport Security Screening During Nomination Hearing for TSA Head
In his opening statement at today’s nomination hearing for President Trump’s pick to lead the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), David Cummins, Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) warned against the Administration’s plan to gut the TSA workforce and privatize its aviation security mission.
Cantwell Says FAA Must Fully and Safely Implement NTSB Recommendations Following DCA Mid-Air Collision
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, demanded that Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford fully implement the 50 recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board following last year’s tragic mid-air collision in DCA airspace that took the lives of 67 people. One of the most important NTSB recommendations is the full implementation of ADS-B In technology for all aircraft required to be equipped and operating with ADS-B Out, which will give pilots the stronger situational awareness to nearby traffic they need to avoid collisions in the air and on the ground.
Cantwell Opening Remarks at April 14 Markup of Legislation Including Reauthorization of the National Quantum Initiative
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation delivered the following opening statement at today’s Executive Session to consider nine bills, including the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026 and the Regional Ocean Partnerships Reauthorization Act of 2026:
Families, Safety Advocates, Air Traffic Controllers, Pilots, Flight Attendants, Airports, Regional Airlines & Others Push for House Passage of ROTOR Act
Following the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) release of its final report on the deadly midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 that killed 67 people, the House will vote this afternoon on bipartisan legislation that would close critical safety gaps identified by investigators and implement key NTSB safety recommendations. Passed unanimously by the Senate in December 2025, the ROTOR Act would require aircraft required to have ADS-B Out to operate in busier airspace to have safety-enhancing ADS-B In location technology and require the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct safety reviews of congested airspace at airports across the country.
Commerce Committee Passes Legislation to Strengthen FAA’s Safety Management System
The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passed the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026 led by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill,), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). The bill directs the FAA to establish an independent expert review panel to make recommendations for a comprehensive, integrated and effective FAA safety management system (SMS) to better predict, manage and mitigate safety risks across the agency.
Cantwell Addresses FAA Closure of El Paso Airspace: “We Have a Real Problem of Coordination Between DoD & FAA”
In her opening remarks at today’s Commerce Committee hearing on the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) final report on the tragic mid-air collision near DCA, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member, addressed the FAA’s closure of the airspace over El Paso and her ongoing concerns about the lack of interagency coordination necessary to keep the public safe.
Bedford’s Violation of Ethics Agreement May Yield the Sitting FAA Chief Millions
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 aviation subcommittee, and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) General Counsel Gregory Zerzan demanding information and accountability regarding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford’s refusal to comply with his ethics agreement and divest his shares in Republic Airways. Instead, Bedford stalled while Republic Airways completed a merger with Mesa Air Group, which appears to have vastly increased the value of his holdings.
Sen. Cantwell Pays Tribute to the 67 Individuals Who Lost Their Lives in the Jan. 29 Mid-Air Collision at Reagan National Airport and Their Families
On the eve of the one year anniversary of the mid-air collision at Reagan National Airport which took the lives of 67 individuals, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, spoke at a commemoration event to honor those who died and the families who have turned their grief into action on aviation safety. The commemoration also honored the first responders who rushed to their aid and the unsung heroes who have supported the healing process and the ongoing push for aviation safety.
Cantwell, Duckworth, Warner, Markey, Shaheen & Klobuchar Reintroduce Legislation to Review and Strengthen FAA’s Safety Management System to Ensure Agency Comprehensively Identifies and Corrects Safety Risks
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill,), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026 to improve the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety oversight and its ability to identify and address aviation safety issues.