Minority News

Press Releases

Press Releases 09/16/2025
Chairman Cruz Calls for Recognition of Taiwan at the International Civil Aviation Organization General Assembly
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy urging the U.S. to lead efforts advocating for Taiwan’s full membership and participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a matter of aviation safety and national security.
Press Releases 09/11/2025
Senate Clears Cruz-King Bill Making It Easier to Know Where You Can Fish Recreationally
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed the Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans (MAPOceans) Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Senator Angus King (I-Maine). The bill would standardize and digitize mapping information on recreational fishing restrictions, boating access, and recreational use in federal waters. Much like the MAPLand Act, a 2022 law that expanded access to information for hunting on public lands, the MAPOceans Act ensures that recreational fishermen, boaters, and the public can access clear, up-to-date information on federal ocean fisheries through a user-friendly smartphone app. This effort will improve safety, reduce confusion, and make it easier for millions of Americans to enjoy saltwater recreation.
Press Releases 09/11/2025
Sen. Budd, Commerce Committee Colleagues Highlight Need to Bolster U.S. leadership in AI Innovation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At yesterday’s Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing titled “AI’ve Got a Plan: America’s AI Action Plan,” Sen. Budd led his Senate Republican colleagues in discussing the Trump administration’s “AI Action Plan” with testimony from Michael Kratsios, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Below are some highlights from today’s hearing, which can be viewed in its entirety HERE.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Sen. Cruz: AI Policy Should Harness the Power of American Ingenuity
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing titled “AI’ve Got a Plan: America’s AI Action Plan,” Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) detailed his new AI framework and SANDBOX Act, will make it easier for AI developers and users to use AI in novel ways when outdated federal regulations may hinder AI adoption.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Sen. Cruz Unveils AI Policy Framework to Strengthen American AI Leadership
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released a legislative framework designed to promote American leadership in artificial intelligence. The framework outlines five pillars to guide Congressional efforts on AI policy and proposes a light-touch regulatory strategy to make safe AI deployment easier in the United States while protecting against emerging risks.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Sen. Cruz Sounds Alarm on NDAA Amendment That Undermines Spectrum Pipeline
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) delivered remarks at the Spectrum Policy Symposium hosted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). During his speech, Sen. Cruz emphasized the national security and economic benefits from his spectrum pipeline legislation, which was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The law frees up 800 megahertz of spectrum for commercial use over the next decade, generating an estimated $85 billion for taxpayers, expanding access to cheaper and faster Internet for consumers, and driving productivity and economic growth.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Sen. Budd: AI Enables Americans to Make the Best and Most of Themselves on Daily Basis
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his opening statement at today’s Senate Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing, Chairman Ted Budd (R-N.C.) discussed the need to accelerate AI innovation and infrastructure development without subjecting this technology to needless overregulation. To bolster U.S. leadership in technological innovation and counter adversarial nations like China, Senator Budd emphasized the importance of leaning into the free market and private sector approach to exporting American technology abroad. Additionally, Senator Budd underscored the strong leadership displayed by President Trump and Director Kratsios in repealing the Biden-era executive order that sought to stifle the potential of American advancement in AI technology.
Press Releases 09/10/2025
Senate Commerce Announces Hearing for NTSB, OSTP, and Commerce Nominees
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a nominations hearing for nominees of the National Transportation Safety Board, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Department of Commerce at 10:00 AM EST on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The hearing will immediately follow an executive session to reconsider the nomination of Dr. Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA Administrator). Jacobs was previously reported to the full Senate on a bipartisan basis by voice vote. However, possible changes in Senate floor procedure around nominations necessitates a roll call vote.
Press Releases 09/3/2025
Sen. Cruz: Choices We Make Now Will Determine If America Leads in Space
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing titled “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race,” Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) underscored the critical role of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a symbol of American innovation, economic strength, and global leadership.
Press Releases 09/3/2025
AI’ve Got a Plan: America’s AI Action Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness, will convene a subcommittee hearing titled “AI’ve Got a Plan: America’s AI Action Plan” on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 10:00 am EST. This hearing will examine President Trump’s artificial intelligence strategy, Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan, which emphasizes the need for accelerated development and deployment of American AI products to preserve the United States’ competitive advantage over China, achieve global AI dominance, and usher in a new golden age of human flourishing that will increase the standard of living for all Americans. The hearing will also explore legislative actions to foster AI innovation by preventing overregulation, streamline the development of American AI infrastructure, and strengthen U.S. leadership on the global stage.

Speeches

Speeches 08/4/2021
Wicker Urges Need to Restore NTIA Protections in Infrastructure Bill
Speeches 06/15/2021
Wicker Speaks on USCG Act
Speeches 11/19/2019
Wicker Speaks on Upcoming STELAR Deadline
Speeches 07/17/2019
Wicker Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11
Speeches 05/23/2019
Wicker Remarks on TRACED Act
Speeches 01/16/2019
Wicker Convenes First Committee Meeting of the 116th Congress
Speeches 12/12/2018
Thune Remarks on Sen. Nelson’s Time in the U.S. Senate
Speeches 10/2/2018
Thune Speaks on the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018
Speeches 09/28/2018
VIDEO: Thune Speaks at White House 5G Summit
Speeches 03/20/2018
VIDEO: Thune Calls on Colleagues to Support and Pass the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act

Op-Eds

Opinion Editorials 09/30/2021
Wicker in Washington Examiner: FTC must leave privacy legislating to Congress
Opinion Editorials 08/23/2021
Wicker in Defense News: The US Coast Guard urgently needs help
Opinion Editorials 01/27/2021
Wicker in The Washington Times: Protecting consumer data during the pandemic and beyond
Opinion Editorials 12/20/2020
Wicker in SpaceNews: Protecting our assets from space debris
Opinion Editorials 10/19/2020
Wicker and Sullivan in Defense News: Polar icebreakers are key to America’s national interest
Opinion Editorials 01/15/2020
Wicker and Sinema in USA Today: We need to prepare for internet of the future. Here's how Congress can help.
Opinion Editorials 12/3/2019
Wicker in the Sun Herald: Getting Stennis Space Center Ready for Liftoff
Opinion Editorials 12/3/2019
Wicker in The Hill: Pay America’s Coast Guard
Opinion Editorials 09/25/2018
Thune in The Hill: Protect and Innovate Online Privacy
Opinion Editorials 07/26/2018
Sen. John Thune and Rep. Lamar Smith in Dallas News: U.S. Must Win the Race Against China and Europe on Quantum Computing