November 15, 2024
Press Release
Nov. 15 marks the third anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), a once-in-a-generation investment in America’s infrastructure. Since 2021, the investments included in the law have delivered $9.89 billion to transportation infrastructure projects across Washington state. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) authored many of the provisions in the law to meet the needs of the country. Additionally, much of the funding has gone out under grant programs authorized by the Commerce Committee.
November 15, 2024
Press Release
On the third anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Senate Commerce Committee Democrats are highlighting some of the impacts this once-in-a-generation investment in America’s infrastructure is having across the country. Since 2021, the law has channeled $568 billion across all 50 states for more than 66,000 projects and awards in critical infrastructure investments through many Commerce Committee-authorized grant programs, modernizing America’s transportation networks and strengthening local economies.
October 15, 2024
Press Release
U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray joined U.S. Representatives Adam Smith and Rick Larsen in calling for Boeing and the machinists unions to reach a mutually beneficial resolution to the month long strike.
September 26, 2024
Press Release
Commerce Committee Democrats U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Ben Ray Luján. (D-N.M.) introduced legislation to crack down on the trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, using the U.S. transportation network. The bill would create first-ever inspection strategies to stop drug smuggling by commercial aircraft, railroads, vehicles and ships. The legislation would boost state, local and tribal local law enforcement resources, deploy next generation non-intrusive detection technologies and increase inspections at ports of entry.
September 25, 2024
Press Release
U.S. Senator Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the following opening statement at a nominations hearing today to consider Carl Bentzel for the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Thomas Chapman for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Lanhee Chen for the Amtrak Board of Directors.
September 25, 2024
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Ohio and Pennsylvania Sens. Sherrod Brown, J.D. Vance, Bob Casey and John Fetterman, introduced a resolution designating September 23-29 as “Rail Safety Week.” The resolution outlines the need to reduce accidents and injuries at highway-rail crossings, prevent derailments and rail worker fatalities, and improve the safe transportation of hazardous materials.
September 20, 2024
Press Release
Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that the organization filed legal action against the country’s three largest prescription drug benefit managers (PBMs)—Caremark Rx, Express Scripts and OptumRx—for engaging in anti-competitive and unfair practices that inflated the price of insulin drugs, blocked patients’ access to more affordable products and shifted the cost of high insulin list prices to vulnerable patients. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, applauded the FTC’s action:
September 19, 2024
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Committee Democrats focused during yesterday’s hearing on the need to invest in resilient and redundant information technology systems at airports and airlines to better protect against cybersecurity threats, safeguard passengers’ and employees’ personal data—including credit card and frequent flyer accounts—and ensure consumers have the tools they need to recover when they are harmed.
September 18, 2024
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing on cybersecurity threats faced by airports and airlines, including impacts to passengers.
September 18, 2024
Press Release
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, joined House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony recognizing the women who contributed to the space race, including the NASA mathematicians who were the subject of the book and movie Hidden Figures.