Democratic News

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.

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.

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.

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.