Senate Commerce Committee
Standing committee
History
Formed February 4, 1977
Leadership
Chair Ted Cruz (R ) Since January 3, 2025Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D ) Since January 3, 2025Structure
Political parties Majority (15) Republican (15) Minority (13) Democratic (13)Jurisdiction
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 Subcommittees
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
Meeting place
512 Dirksen Senate Building
Website
Rules
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 2009The United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate . Besides having broad jurisdiction over all matters concerning interstate commerce, science and technology policy, and transportation, the Senate Commerce Committee is one of the largest of the Senate's standing committees, with 28 members in the 117th Congress. The Commerce Committee has six subcommittees. It is chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) 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 .
History 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:
Jurisdiction 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." 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."
Members, 119th Congress Majority Minority Ted Cruz , Texas, Chair John Thune , South Dakota Roger Wicker , Mississippi Deb Fischer , Nebraska Jerry Moran , Kansas Dan Sullivan , Alaska Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Todd Young , Indiana Ted Budd , North Carolina Eric Schmitt , Missouri John Curtis , Utah Bernie Moreno , Ohio Tim Sheehy , Montana Shelley Moore Capito , West Virginia Cynthia Lummis , WyomingMaria Cantwell , Washington, Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar , Minnesota Brian Schatz , Hawaii Ed Markey , Massachusetts Gary Peters , Michigan Tammy Baldwin , Wisconsin Tammy Duckworth , Illinois Jacky Rosen , Nevada Ben Ray Luján , New Mexico John Hickenlooper , Colorado John Fetterman , Pennsylvania Andy Kim , New Jersey Lisa Blunt Rochester , Delaware
Subcommittees Subcommittee Chair Ranking Member Aviation, Space, and Innovation Jerry Moran (R-KS)Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)Telecommunications and Media Deb Fischer (R-NE)Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)John Hickenlooper (D-CO)Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries Dan Sullivan (R-AK)Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness Ted Budd (R-NC)Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety Todd Young (R-IN)Gary Peters (D-MI)
Chairs The committee, under its various names, has had the below chairs.
Committee on Commerce and Manufactures, 1816–1825 Committee on Commerce, 1825–1947 Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 1947–1961 Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, 1958–1977 Committee on Commerce, 1961–1977 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 1977–present Ranking members Historical committee rosters 118th Congress Majority Minority Maria Cantwell , Washington, Chair Amy Klobuchar , Minnesota Brian Schatz , Hawaii Ed Markey , Massachusetts Gary Peters , Michigan Tammy Baldwin , Wisconsin Tammy Duckworth , Illinois Jon Tester , Montana Kyrsten Sinema , Arizona Jacky Rosen , Nevada Ben Ray Luján , New Mexico John Hickenlooper , Colorado Raphael Warnock , Georgia Peter Welch , VermontTed Cruz , Texas, Ranking Member John Thune , South Dakota Roger Wicker , Mississippi Deb Fischer , Nebraska Jerry Moran , Kansas Dan Sullivan , Alaska Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Todd Young , Indiana Rick Scott , Florida (until February 2, 2023) Ted Budd , North Carolina Eric Schmitt , Missouri JD Vance , Ohio Shelley Moore Capito , West Virginia Cynthia Lummis , Wyoming
Subcommittees
Source:
117th Congress Majority Minority Maria Cantwell , Washington, Chair Amy Klobuchar , Minnesota Richard Blumenthal , Connecticut Brian Schatz , Hawaii Ed Markey , Massachusetts Gary Peters , Michigan Tammy Baldwin , Wisconsin Tammy Duckworth , Illinois Jon Tester , Montana Kyrsten Sinema , Arizona Jacky Rosen , Nevada Ben Ray Luján , New Mexico John Hickenlooper , Colorado Raphael Warnock , GeorgiaRoger Wicker , Mississippi, Ranking Member John Thune , South Dakota Roy Blunt , Missouri Ted Cruz , Texas Deb Fischer , Nebraska Jerry Moran , Kansas Dan Sullivan , Alaska Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Mike Lee , Utah Ron Johnson , Wisconsin Shelley Moore Capito , West Virginia Todd Young , Indiana Rick Scott , Florida Cynthia Lummis , Wyoming
Subcommittees
Source:
116th Congress Majority Minority Roger Wicker , Mississippi, Chair John Thune , South Dakota Roy Blunt , Missouri Ted Cruz , Texas Deb Fischer , Nebraska Jerry Moran , Kansas Dan Sullivan , Alaska Mike Lee , Utah Ron Johnson , Wisconsin Shelley Moore Capito , West Virginia Cory Gardner , Colorado Todd Young , Indiana Rick Scott , Florida Marsha Blackburn , TennesseeMaria Cantwell , Washington, Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar , Minnesota Richard Blumenthal , Connecticut Brian Schatz , Hawaii Ed Markey , Massachusetts Tom Udall , New Mexico Gary Peters , Michigan Tammy Baldwin , Wisconsin Tammy Duckworth , Illinois Jon Tester , Montana Kyrsten Sinema , Arizona Jacky Rosen , Nevada
Subcommittees
115th Congress Majority Minority John Thune , South Dakota, Chair Roger Wicker , Mississippi Roy Blunt , Missouri Ted Cruz , Texas Deb Fischer , Nebraska Jerry Moran , Kansas Dan Sullivan , Alaska Dean Heller , Nevada Jim Inhofe , Oklahoma Mike Lee , Utah Ron Johnson , Wisconsin Shelley Moore Capito , West Virginia Cory Gardner , Colorado Todd Young , IndianaBill Nelson , Florida, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell , Washington Amy Klobuchar , Minnesota Richard Blumenthal , Connecticut Brian Schatz , Hawaii Ed Markey , Massachusetts Tom Udall , New Mexico Gary Peters , Michigan Tammy Baldwin , Wisconsin Tammy Duckworth , Illinois Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire Catherine Cortez Masto , Nevada Jon Tester , Montana
Source
Notes External links () . Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov . 