October 6, 2025
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, demanded Trump Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought reverse his latest illegal action to cut off the ability for the public and whistleblowers to report misconduct, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars in the federal government. Vought recently moved to withhold funding for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, which operates a whistleblower hotline and website on behalf of independent inspectors general including for the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Federal Trade Commission
October 6, 2025
Press Release
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chair of the Committee, Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines and Safety, and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced the bipartisan PIPELINE Act of 2025 that addresses known safety risks, closes gaps in the transportation of underregulated carbon dioxide and hydrogen pipelines, and improves the accountability of pipeline operators. The legislation reauthorizes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration through September 2030.
October 1, 2025
Press Release
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement on the shutdown of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), as a result of the rescission of its Fiscal Year 2026 and 2027 funding passed on a partisan basis in July 2025.
September 30, 2025
Press Release
Yesterday, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act to codify athletes’ rights and protections in law, expand revenue for all schools, support women’s and Olympic sports and bring much-needed stability to the college sports system.
September 29, 2025
Press Release
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released a new staff report revealing that OMB Director Russell Vought has been directing NASA—since early summer—to begin implementing the devastating cuts in President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request (PBR), without regard for the destructive impacts to NASA’s missions, safety and workforce. Based on whistleblower reports and documents, the report also reveals that Vought plans to impound NASA funds “to get to the PBR” under a continuing resolution (CR), in violation of the Constitution.
September 29, 2025
Press Release
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today introduced the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act to codify athletes’ rights and protections in law, expand revenue for all schools, support women’s and Olympic sports and bring much-needed stability to the college sports system.
September 24, 2025
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), announced they will introduce the Management of Individuals’ Neural Data Act of 2025 (MIND Act) which directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to examine how “neural data” — information from brain activity or signals that can reveal thoughts, emotions, or decision-making patterns — and other related data should be protected to safeguard privacy, prevent exploitation, and build public trust as neurotechnology rapidly advances.
September 24, 2025
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), today wrote to Sinclair Broadcast Group President and CEO Christopher S. Ripley, calling on him to immediately reinstate Jimmy Kimmel Live! to Sinclair’s KOMO-TV in Seattle and its affiliates across the country.
September 22, 2025
Press Release
This morning, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – which oversees the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe in the wake of ABC’s firing last week of comedian Jimmy Kimmel, to defend freedom of speech, freedom of the press and to demand that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr testify before the Commerce Committee as soon as possible. On Friday, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) calling for Chairman Carr to appear before the Committee.
September 19, 2025
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, led Democratic Committee Members Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ben Ray Luján, (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) in a letter to Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) requesting the Chairman call Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to testify before the Committee following his threats to use the regulatory power of the FCC to compel ABC to fire comedian