January 11, 2024
Press Release
Following the recent Alaska Airlines flight 1282 incident, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Whitaker requesting documents and information related to FAA’s safety oversight of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems to ensure manufacturers cannot avoid audit accountability and are complying with FAA quality control regulations.
January 5, 2024
Press Release
On Friday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science Transportation, joined a letter led by Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging the inclusion of initial funding of $10 million to establish the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (USAISI) in the Fiscal Year 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill or any other relevant funding opportunities. The letter was also signed by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).
December 22, 2023
Press Release
Today, President Biden issued an Executive Order to strengthen U.S. sanctions on Russian financial institutions and import bans on certain Russian goods, including Russian seafood. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the following statement applauding the Executive Order:
December 20, 2023
Press Release
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, announced $1 million in new federal funding from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for two economic development initiatives on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The funding is being awarded through the Recompete Pilot Program, which aims to alleviate persistent economic distress and support long-term, comprehensive economic development and job creation.
December 19, 2023
Press Release
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio Modernization Act and the National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act, bipartisan bills aimed at modernizing the nation’s weather communication and radio service as the country faces increasing weather disasters. The bills were introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee, and Ranking Member Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in May 2023 and passed the Commerce Committee the same month. The bills now head to the U.S. House of Representatives.
December 18, 2023
Press Release
On Friday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced that the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program – the organization tasked with replacing the I-5 Bridge connecting Portland, Ore., and Southwest Washington – will receive $600 million in federal funds from a Department of Transportation (DOT) grant program authored by Sen. Cantwell.
December 14, 2023
Press Release
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, successfully negotiated the inclusion of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) reauthorization legislation as part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The $1.35 billion package will expand investment opportunities to modernize ports, maritime infrastructure and shipbuilding and expand workforce education and training. After passing the Senate and House this week, the legislation now heads to the president’s desk.
December 13, 2023
Press Release
During today’s space subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, asked witnesses about the technical challenges faced by the federal government in overseeing safety and advancing innovation in outer space activities by private industry. The Committee heard testimony from Pam Melroy, NASA Deputy Administrator; Kelvin Coleman, FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation; Richard Dalbello, NOAA Director of Office of Space Commerce and John Hill, DOD Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space and Missile Defense.
December 7, 2023
Press Release
Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved the following presidential nominations sending them to the Senate floor:
November 29, 2023
Press Release
This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy (Multimodal Freight Office). U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, authored the provision in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that directed the DOT to form the new office in an effort to strengthen America’s supply chain. The new office will help coordinate activities among the different methods of freight — shipping, rail, trucking, air, etc. — to keep the overall U.S. supply chain running smoothly, move products onto shelves faster and help ease costs for