Democratic News

Press Releases 05/24/2022
Cantwell, Grassley Want New Enforcement Authority for FTC to Fight Unfair Drug Pricing Practices and Provide More Transparency
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation today that would empower the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to increase drug pricing transparency and hold Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) accountable for unfair and deceptive practices that drive up the costs of prescription drugs at the expense of consumers.
Press Releases 05/19/2022
Cantwell, Sullivan Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Federal Weather Service Firefighting Tools
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) introduced bipartisan legislation to codify and strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) authority and capacity to help prevent, forecast and fight wildfires.
Press Releases 05/13/2022
Conference Committee Meets to Kick Off Negotiations
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today chaired a public meeting to kick off the Senate and House Conference Committee on bipartisan innovation and competition legislation, H.R. 4521.
Press Releases 05/13/2022
Spiking West Coast Gas Prices Spur Cantwell, Feinstein, Wyden to Introduce Bill Targeting Fuel Market Anomalies Hurting Consumers
With Americans facing record level gas and diesel price increases, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, introduced legislation that would significantly increase transportation fuel market transparency and directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to proactively monitor and prevent any fraud or manipulation that may be artificially inflating pump prices.
Press Releases 05/11/2022
Cantwell-Led Bill to Restore FTC Authority to Return Money to Victims of Scams, Fraud, Deception Moves Forward
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced that today Democrats advanced the Consumer Protection Remedies Act of 2022 out of the Commerce Committee and to the Senate Floor.
Press Releases 05/11/2022
Commerce Committee Approves Consumer Protection, Supply Chain Legislation
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved several consumer protection, supply chain and environmental bills today, as well as voting unanimously in favor of Admiral Linda Fagan’s nomination to serve as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.
Press Releases 05/11/2022
Cantwell Applauds Senate Confirmation of Final FTC Member, Unlocking New Opportunities to Protect Consumers
Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Alvaro Bedoya’s as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Press Releases 05/6/2022
Cantwell Calls for Shining a Light on “Black Box” in Prescription Drug Pricing Market
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, called for action to increase transparency and shine a light on the little-known drug pricing practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) as consumers struggle with higher costs of medication and independent pharmacies are driven out of business.
Press Releases 05/5/2022
Cantwell-Led Bill Would Restore FTC Authority to Return Billions to Consumers Ripped off by Scams, Fraud, Deception
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced legislation to restore the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) decades-long authority to return money to consumers victimized by illegal scams, fraud and other unfair or deceptive practices.
Press Releases 05/4/2022
Cantwell Presses Sec. Buttigieg on Strengthening Protections for Airline Travelers, Increasing Efficiency of Consumer Refunds
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, pressed Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg on the need for DOT to strengthen consumer protections for airline travelers, increase the transparency of the ticket refund process, and ensure airlines issue refunds to consumers for canceled or changed flights promptly.