As Thanksgiving Approaches, Cantwell, Markey, Blumenthal Call on DOT to Strengthen Ticket Refunds Rule

With more than an estimated four million people travelling through U.S. airports this Thanksgiving season, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Committee-members Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) filed a comment on the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposed rule on airline ticket refunds, urging the Department to strengthen and expeditiously finalize the proposed rule to ensure that consumers are fairly compensated when an airline cancels or significantly delays their flight – including secondary costs incurred from hotels, meals and transportation in the event of a cancellation or significant delay due to a problem within the airline’s control.

Cantwell, Grassley Urge FTC to Complete Investigation Into PBM Practices Driving Up Rx Drug Costs

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, continued their efforts to increase transparency in the prescription drug pricing market, leading a bipartisan letter to Chairwoman Lina Khan to underscore the urgency for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to complete its Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) investigation and report its findings to Congress.

Cantwell, Consumer Advocates Call on Republicans to Restore Consumer Refunds

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, rallied hundreds of consumer protection advocates from across the country who are calling on Congress this week to pass the Consumer Protection Remedies Act of 2022 that would restore the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) power to secure refunds for millions of consumers ripped off by illegal scams, fraud and other unfair, deceptive and anticompetitive practices. In April 2021, the Supreme Court stripped the FTC’s “Section 13(b)” authority which it had used to return $11.2 billion owed to consumers in the five years prior to the decision.

Cantwell, Capito Take the Field With U.S. Soccer for Signing of Historic Equal Pay Agreement

Following tonight’s U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) match against Nigeria, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined leaders of U.S. Soccer, USWNT and the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) for the signing of historic Collective Bargaining Agreements which guarantee players are paid equally. The fight for equal pay inspired the senators’ bipartisan Equal Pay for Team USA Act which would require equal pay and benefits for all Team USA athletes who represent the United States in global athletic competitions, like the Olympics, regardless of gender.

Commerce Committee Approves 2 Bills and 4 Nominations, including Bipartisan Children’s Online Privacy Legislation and OSTP Nomination

Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved two bipartisan bills to protect children online, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director nominee, Dr. Arati Prabhakar, the Transportation Security Administration Administrator nominee, David Pekoske, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce nominee, Susie Feliz, and Donald R. Cravins, the nominee to be Undersecretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development.

Commerce Committee Approves 5 Bills and 4 Nominations, Including the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act and Equal Pay for Team USA Act

Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved several pieces of legislation, including the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act to increase transparency in the drug pricing marketplace, the Equal Pay for Team USA Act of 2021 to ensure that athletes competing internationally for the U.S. receive equal pay and benefits, as well as important maritime legislation, Presidential nominations and a Coast Guard promotion.