Minority News

Press Releases

Press Releases 03/11/2025
Chairman Cruz Issues Statement Following Release of NTSB Preliminary Report on DCA Tragedy
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the tragic accident between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Blackhawk in the DCA airspace.
Press Releases 03/11/2025
Chairman Cruz and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Moran Announce Hearing on DCA Tragedy
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, will convene a subcommittee hearing titled “NTSB Preliminary Report: DCA Midair Collision” on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 10:00 am EST. This hearing will examine preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the deadly crash involving American Airlines 5342 and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
Press Releases 03/6/2025
Senate Approves Coast Guard Authorization Act Unanimously
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, which was introduced by U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The bipartisan measure was agreed to at the end of last year by leaders of both the Senate Commerce Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but the session ended before final passage could occur. The bill authorizes funding to strengthen the Coast Guard’s ability to protect our borders, facilitate maritime commerce, unleash American energy, bolster deterrence efforts, and improve support for Coast Guard personnel and their families.
Press Releases 03/5/2025
Chairman Cruz: The Senate Has Allowed Its Oversight Muscle to Atrophy
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Committee Executive Session to authorize subpoenas, Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) highlighted how oversight within the Senate’s standing committees has become rare, and pledged that the Commerce Committee will continue to engage in robust oversight under his leadership. Introducing the subpoena for documents and materials from the Massachusetts Port Authority, Sen. Cruz outlined his investigation into the Biden administration's practice of housing illegal immigrants at domestic airports, including Boston’s Logan Airport. Massport refused to comply with the Committee’s oversight requests. Sen. Cruz also noted that the Committee would not be voting on subpoenas for two additional entities, Bonterra and Newpoint Strategies, after these companies made good-faith efforts to comply with the Committee’s requests.
Press Releases 03/5/2025
Chairman Cruz Announces Executive Session for March 12th
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee Executive Session on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. ET to consider the following nominations and legislation:
Press Releases 03/4/2025
Commerce Committee Leaders Reintroduce Bill to Ensure Coast Guard Personnel Are Paid In Event of Gov’t Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) recently reintroduced the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure Coast Guard personnel receive pay and allowances in the event of a government shutdown. The legislation would ensure that the Coast Guard gets the same treatment as the other branches of the armed services if there is a lapse in appropriations. Because the Coast Guard is housed within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it was left off a previous funding stopgap that only covered the Department of Defense (DoD).
Press Releases 03/3/2025
House Leaders Pledge to Advance ‘Take It Down’ Act at Sen. Cruz’s Bipartisan Roundtable with First Lady Melania Trump
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) hosted a bipartisan roundtable with First Lady Melania Trump to hear from victims of revenge and deepfake pornography and highlight the urgent need for the House to pass the bipartisan TAKE IT DOWN Act. The bill, which passed the Senate unanimously, criminalizes the publication of such non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including explicit content generated by artificial intelligence.
Press Releases 02/27/2025
DOT Deputy Secretary Nominee Steven Bradbury Advances Out of Commerce Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), cleared President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Steven Bradbury, for consideration by the full Senate. Bradbury’s nomination passed the committee by a vote of 15 yeas and 13 nays.
Press Releases 02/27/2025
Sen. Young Chairs “Grand Theft Cargo” Subcommittee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety, convened a subcommittee hearing titled “Grand Theft Cargo: Examining a Costly Threat to Consumers to the U.S. Supply Chain.”
Press Releases 02/26/2025
Sen. Cruz: You Cannot Stop Deadly Drugs With an Open Border
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing titled “Interdicting Illicit Drug Trafficking: A View from the Front Lines,” Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) discussed how the Biden administration’s radical, open-border policies weakened the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) ability to stop deadly drugs from crossing U.S. maritime borders and allow Middle East drug runners to help fund Iranian terrorism. Sen. Cruz highlighted how the bicameral and bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act, cosponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), aims to end the 'catch and release' approach to Middle East drug enforcement and close a loophole so cartels could be prosecuted for drug smuggling via remotely operated sea drones.

Speeches

Speeches 12/21/2017
VIDEO RELEASE: Thune Voices Support for Ronald Batory’s Nomination
Today, U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, took to the Senate floor to voice his support and call on his colleagues for unanimous consent to confirm the nomination of Ronald Batory to be Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
Speeches 12/12/2017
VIDEO: Thune Commends FCC’s Internet Freedom Order
Speeches 01/31/2017
Thune Statement on Secretary Chao's Nomination
Speeches 08/2/2016
Thune Speaks at South Dakota Technology Showcase
Speeches 07/12/2016
How Our Aviation Bill Strengthens Security
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, spoke on the Senate floor about how the bipartisan aviation legislation under consideration in the Senate this week strengthens security.
Speeches 07/7/2016
Thune Addresses FCC Leadership Failures
Speeches 04/13/2016
Thune Urges Colleagues to Support Comprehensive Reforms in Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization
Speeches 04/12/2016
Thune Urges Colleagues to Support Strong Aviation Security and Passenger-Friendly Reforms in Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Bill
Speeches 04/6/2016
Thune Speaks on FAA Bill to Support U.S. Jobs, Increase Safety, Improve Drone Operations, and Make Travel Easier for Airline Passengers
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, spoke on the Senate floor on the bipartisan proposal to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration through fiscal year 2017 under consideration in the Senate. The bill was approved by the committee in March 2016.
Speeches 04/5/2016
Thune on Recent Terror Attacks, Transportation Security, and TSA Hearing Tomorrow
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, spoke on the Senate floor on the recent terror attacks in Brussels and Istanbul by ISIS and the committee's hearing on transportation security in light of the attacks. The Transportation Security Administration Administrator Peter Neffenger will testify at the hearing.

Op-Eds

Opinion Editorials 06/25/2018
Capito in The State Journal: How Capito Connect is closing the digital divide in West Virginia
Opinion Editorials 05/9/2018
Thune in CNBC: I Support 'Net Neutrality.' Let's Not Let 'Political Theater' Ruin a Bipartisan Deal
Opinion Editorials 11/21/2017
Cruz in Roll Call: Stop the Next Internet Power Grab
Opinion Editorials 06/12/2017
Gardner in the Coloradoan: Science shouldn't be partisan issue
Opinion Editorials 05/7/2017
Capito in The Parkersburg News and Sentinal: Broadband Key to Economic Growth
Opinion Editorials 12/4/2016
Sullivan in the Wall Street Journal: How to Put Building Permits on a Fast Track
Opinion Editorials 07/15/2016
Thune in CNN: How to Make Our Airports Safer
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, wrote an op-ed on how the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization bill strengthens airport security.
Opinion Editorials 07/15/2016
Gardner and Peters in The Hill: Reaffirming America's Commitment to Science and Technology
Opinion Editorials 04/14/2016
Thune in CNN: How to Make Our Airports More Secure
Opinion Editorials 02/25/2016
Lee in The Washington Examiner: Bringing freedom back to the Internet