The United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate .[ 1] Maria Cantwell (D-WA) with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) as Ranking Member. The majority office is housed in the Dirksen Senate Office Building , and the minority office is located in the Hart Senate Office Building .[ 1]
Senate Commerce Committee Standing committee Formed February 4, 1977 Chair Maria Cantwell (D ) Ranking member Ted Cruz (R ) Political parties Majority (14)
Minority (13)
Policy areas Aviation , Coast Guard , Coastal zone management , Common carriers , Communications , Competitiveness , Consumer protection , Highways and highway safety , Inland waterways , Internet , Navigation , Interstate commerce , Marine conservation , Marine fisheries , Merchant Marine , Oceanography , Outer Continental Shelf lands, Panama Canal , Product safety and liability , Rail , Science policy of the United States , Sport , Standards of weights and measures , Tourism , Transportation generally, Weather and climate change Oversight authority Coast Guard , CPSC , CPB , Department of Commerce , Department of Transportation , FAA , FCC , FMC , FMCSA , FRA , FTC , MARAD , NASA , NHTSA , NIST , NOAA , NSF , NTIA , NTSB , OSTP , PHMSA , STB , TSA House counterpart United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce , House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology , House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation Communications, Media, and Broadband Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing Space and Science Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion 512 Dirksen Senate Building https://www.commerce.senate.gov/
Charles Bolden , nominee for Administrator of NASA , center, and Lori Garver , right, nominee for deputy administrator of NASA, testify at their confirmation hearing before the Committee in 2009
The committee has its roots in the Committee on Commerce and Manufacturers , which served as a standing committee in the early-1800s. This committee was split in two in the 1820s and remained in this configuration until the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 . Under the LRA, the number of standing committees was dramatically decreased to increase congressional efficiency and increase institutional strength. As a result, the Committee on Commerce , the Committee on Manufactures , the Committee on Interstate Commerce , and the Committee on Interoceanic Canals were combined into the United States Senate Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce . In 1977, as a part of widespread committee reorganization, the committee was renamed the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and given additional oversight jurisdiction over nonmilitary aeronautical and space sciences, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The original progenitors of this committee were:
In accordance of Rule XXV of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects is referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:
"Coast Guard ;
Coastal zone management ;Communications ;Highway safety ;Inland waterways, except construction ;Interstate commerce ;Marine and ocean navigation , safety , and transportation , including navigational aspects of deepwater ports ;Marine fisheries ;Merchant marine and navigation ;Nonmilitary aeronautical and space sciences ;
Oceans , weather , and atmospheric activities ;Panama Canal and interoceanic canals generally, except as provided in subparagraph (c);Regulation of consumer products and services , including testing related to toxic substances, other than pesticides, and except for credit, financial services, and housing;
Regulation of interstate common carriers , including railroads , buses , trucks , vessels , pipelines , and civil aviation ;
Science, engineering, and technology research and development and policy ;Sports ;Standards and measurement ;Transportation ; and,Transportation and commerce aspects of Outer Continental Shelf lands."[ 2] The Senate Commerce Committee is also charged to "study and review, on a comprehensive basis, all matters relating to science and technology, oceans policy, transportation, communications, and consumer affairs, and report thereon from time to time."[ 3]
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Majority[ 4]
Minority[ 5]
Maria Cantwell , Washington, Chair Amy Klobuchar , MinnesotaBrian Schatz , HawaiiEd Markey , MassachusettsGary Peters , MichiganTammy Baldwin , WisconsinTammy Duckworth , IllinoisJon Tester , MontanaKyrsten Sinema , Arizona[ a] Jacky Rosen , NevadaBen Ray Luján , New MexicoJohn Hickenlooper , ColoradoRaphael Warnock , GeorgiaPeter Welch , Vermont
Ted Cruz , Texas, Ranking Member John Thune , South DakotaRoger Wicker , MississippiDeb Fischer , NebraskaJerry Moran , KansasDan Sullivan , AlaskaMarsha Blackburn , TennesseeTodd Young , IndianaRick Scott , Florida (until February 2, 2023)[ 6] Ted Budd , North CarolinaEric Schmitt , MissouriJD Vance , OhioShelley Moore Capito , West VirginiaCynthia Lummis , Wyoming
The committee, under its various names, has been chaired by the following senators:[ 7]
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Historical committee rosters
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Majority
Minority
Maria Cantwell , Washington, Chair Amy Klobuchar , MinnesotaRichard Blumenthal , ConnecticutBrian Schatz , HawaiiEd Markey , MassachusettsGary Peters , MichiganTammy Baldwin , WisconsinTammy Duckworth , IllinoisJon Tester , MontanaKyrsten Sinema , ArizonaJacky Rosen , NevadaBen Ray Luján , New MexicoJohn Hickenlooper , ColoradoRaphael Warnock , Georgia
Roger Wicker , Mississippi, Ranking Member John Thune , South DakotaRoy Blunt , MissouriTed Cruz , TexasDeb Fischer , NebraskaJerry Moran , KansasDan Sullivan , AlaskaMarsha Blackburn , TennesseeMike Lee , UtahRon Johnson , WisconsinShelley Moore Capito , West VirginiaTodd Young , IndianaRick Scott , FloridaCynthia Lummis , Wyoming
Subcommittees Source:[ 8]
Majority
Minority
Roger Wicker , Mississippi, Chair John Thune , South DakotaRoy Blunt , MissouriTed Cruz , TexasDeb Fischer , NebraskaJerry Moran , KansasDan Sullivan , AlaskaMike Lee , UtahRon Johnson , WisconsinShelley Moore Capito , West VirginiaCory Gardner , ColoradoTodd Young , IndianaRick Scott , FloridaMarsha Blackburn , Tennessee
Maria Cantwell , Washington, Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar , MinnesotaRichard Blumenthal , ConnecticutBrian Schatz , HawaiiEd Markey , MassachusettsTom Udall , New MexicoGary Peters , MichiganTammy Baldwin , WisconsinTammy Duckworth , IllinoisJon Tester , MontanaKyrsten Sinema , ArizonaJacky Rosen , Nevada
Subcommittees
Majority
Minority
John Thune , South Dakota, Chair Roger Wicker , MississippiRoy Blunt , MissouriTed Cruz , TexasDeb Fischer , NebraskaJerry Moran , KansasDan Sullivan , AlaskaDean Heller , NevadaJim Inhofe , OklahomaMike Lee , UtahRon Johnson , WisconsinShelley Moore Capito , West VirginiaCory Gardner , ColoradoTodd Young , Indiana
Bill Nelson , Florida, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell , WashingtonAmy Klobuchar , MinnesotaRichard Blumenthal , ConnecticutBrian Schatz , HawaiiEd Markey , MassachusettsTom Udall , New MexicoGary Peters , MichiganTammy Baldwin , WisconsinTammy Duckworth , IllinoisMaggie Hassan , New HampshireCatherine Cortez Masto , NevadaJon Tester , Montana
Source[ 9]
^ Kyrsten Sinema is formally an independent but caucuses with the Democrats.
^ At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic
president and vice president still serving until January 20, the Democratic vice president was available to break a tie,
and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate
adopted S. Res. 7 designating Democratic senators as committee chairmen to serve during this period and
Republican chairmen to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.
^ On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Senator James Jeffords (VT) changed from the
Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.
^ a b "U.S. Senate Committee On Commerce, Science, & Transportation - About" . U.S. Senate Committee On Commerce, Science, & Transportation .^ "Rules of the United States Senate" . U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Retrieved May 31, 2019 . public domain .^ "Rules Of The Senate | U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration" . www.rules.senate.gov .^ S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)^ S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)^ Mizelle, Shawna (February 2, 2023). "Rick Scott sees retribution in McConnell decision to pull him off Senate Commerce Committee | CNN Politics" . CNN . Retrieved February 7, 2023 . ^ "Chairmen of Senate Standing Committees 1789-present" (PDF) . Retrieved September 23, 2020 .^ "Chair Cantwell Announces Subcommittee Leadership for the 117th Congress" . U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation . February 19, 2021.^ "U.S. Senate: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation" . www.senate.gov . Retrieved January 8, 2017 .
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
