Democratic News

Press Releases 09/17/2025
Cantwell Questions NTSB Nominee Over FAA Failure to Implement Safety Recommendations, Including ADS-B In Technology
During the nomination hearing of Michael Graham to serve on the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB), U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, continued her criticism of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety oversight, pointing to the agency’s failure to act on numerous warnings at Washington National Airport (DCA) and its long delays in implementing NTSB safety recommendations, including ADS-B In and Out technology.
Press Releases 09/16/2025
Cantwell Joins Colleagues in Calling for PSA Airlines Contract Agreement
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, joined her colleagues, led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), in sending a letter to PSA Airlines, Inc. urging them to continue contract negotiations and reach a fair agreement with over 1,700 flight attendants. The flight attendants have been bargaining for a new contract with PSA Airlines for over two years.
Press Releases 09/12/2025
Senate Passes National Legislation Officially Recognizing 9-1-1 Operators as Members of the First Responders System
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, celebrated Senate passage of the Enhancing First Response Act, which officially recognizes the lifesaving, critical work of 9-1-1 operators by reclassifying them as part of the first responders system. The State of Washington made this change in 2022, leading to a statewide training and certification process and improved retention.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
College Sports Revenue Gap Between Power Conference Schools & Everyone Else Increased Nearly 600% Since 2002, Commerce Committee Analysis Finds
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released a new analysis of college sports TV revenues showing how skyrocketing media rights payments have exacerbated a massive financial gap between traditional power conferences, especially the new Power 2—the SEC and Big Ten—and everyone else. This ever-widening gap is increasing competitive disparities among schools and threatening Olympic and non-revenue sports in favor of football and basketball.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Cantwell Tells OSTP Director Kratsios that White House AI Action Plan Tenets Align with Bipartisan Bills Previously Passed by Commerce Committee
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, called for the passage of seven previously approved bipartisan AI bills that align with components of the White House AI Action Plan during a subcommittee hearing today on the Administration’s artificial intelligence strategy. Just prior to the start of the hearing, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the Trump Administration is pursuing a proposal that would allow the federal government to take 50 percent of profits from patents that are the result of university research supported by federal funding.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Ranking Member Cantwell Opening Statement at Today’s Hearing on the White House AI Action Plan
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered the following opening statement during today’s Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing on the White House AI Action Plan.
Press Releases 09/3/2025
Ranking Member Cantwell Opening Statement at Today’s Hearing on Why NASA Must Win the Race Against China to Return to the Moon
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the following opening statement during today’s hearing on the importance of winning the space race against China.
Press Releases 09/3/2025
Cantwell, Experts Warn U.S. Cannot Afford to Lose Race Against China to Get Back to the Moon
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, warned of the serious consequences to the United States’ global leadership and future economic and national security if we allow China to beat the United States in the race back to the moon. Her warnings came during a hearing featuring witnesses with extensive experience related to human space exploration: Jim Bridenstine, Managing Partner of the Artemis Group and Former NASA Administrator; Lieutenant General John Shaw, Former Deputy Commander of the U.S. Space Command; Allen Cutler, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration; and Michael Gold, President of Civil and International Space for Redwire.
Press Releases 09/2/2025
Cantwell, Congressional Colleagues File Amicus Brief Defending Bipartisan, Independent CPSC
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) to lead 23 additional members of Congress in filing an amicus brief defending the independence of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and supporting Congress’s authority to allow removal of CPSC Commissioners only for cause.
Press Releases 09/2/2025
Cantwell Statement on Trump Illegal Firing of Dem STB Member as Scrutiny of Massive Rail Merger Proposal Set to Begin
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the below statement regarding President Trump’s August 27 illegal firing of Robert Primus, one of two Democratic members of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Primus had been confirmed unanimously by the Senate and his sudden firing comes as the STB is set to consider the controversial proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern railroads, that, if approved, would be the largest rail merger in the Nation’s history. If not reversed, the Board would be left with two Republicans and one Democrat with two vacancies.
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