Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Stored: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Type: Congressional Committee Parent organization: Senate Top organization: Congress Employees: Executive: Chairman Budget: Address: 254 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510 Website: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/ Creation Legislation: Senate Resolution, December 10, 1816 Wikipedia: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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Mission To oversee and legislate on matters related to commerce, science, transportation, and related fields, ensuring economic growth, safety, innovation, and national competitiveness through policy development and federal agency oversight.

Services Legislative Oversight; Policy Development; Hearings and Investigations; Bill Authorization

Regulations

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the U.S. Senate, established in 1816, with jurisdiction over commerce, transportation infrastructure, science policy, communications, and consumer protection, overseeing agencies like the Department of Transportation, NASA, and the Federal Communications Commission.

Official Site

Mission

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation aims to foster economic development, enhance public safety, and advance U.S. innovation by crafting legislation and overseeing federal agencies in areas like aviation, highways, telecommunications, space exploration, and consumer affairs. It conducts hearings, reviews budgets, and proposes bills to address national priorities, balancing industry needs with public interest.

Parent organization

The committee operates under the United States Senate, within the United States Congress, as one of the Senate’s 16 standing committees with permanent legislative and oversight authority.

Legislation

The committee was created by a Senate Resolution on December 10, 1816, initially as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures, evolving through splits (e.g., Manufactures in 1825) and expansions (e.g., Science and Transportation in 1961) to its current form.

Partners

• Federal agencies (e.g., DOT, FCC, NASA) for oversight
• House Committee on Energy and Commerce for bicameral coordination
• Industry stakeholders (e.g., airlines, tech firms) for input

Number of employees

The committee does not employ staff directly under its name; it maintains a professional staff of approximately 50-60, including policy experts and legal advisors, managed by a Staff Director, with numbers varying by congressional session.

Organization structure

The committee is structured with bipartisan leadership and subcommittees:

Leader

The Committee is chaired by Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the 119th Congress, with Maria Cantwell (D-WA) as Ranking Member, as of March 2025.

Divisions

The subcommittees include:

• 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

List of programs

• Annual FAA Reauthorization
• NASA Authorization Acts
• Broadband Infrastructure Oversight

Last total enacted budget

The committee’s operational budget is not separately detailed; it’s funded within the Senate’s FY 2024 budget of $1.1 billion, covering staff, hearings, and activities through general legislative appropriations.

Staff

The staff of about 50-60 includes analysts, counsel, and administrative personnel, appointed by the Chairman and Ranking Member, working to draft bills, conduct oversight, and support subcommittees in a bipartisan capacity.

Funding

Since 1816, the committee has been funded through Senate appropriations, with FY 2024’s $1.1 billion Senate budget supporting its operations, enabling oversight of multi-billion-dollar agency budgets like DOT’s $108 billion.

Services provided

The committee oversees agencies like DOT, FCC, and NASA, holds hearings (e.g., 2025 aviation safety review), authorizes budgets (e.g., FAA Reauthorization Act), investigates issues like airline mergers, and drafts legislation to improve transportation, science, and consumer protections.

Regulations overseen

The committee does not create regulations but shapes policy through legislation like the Communications Act or FAST Act, ensuring agencies implement laws effectively under its jurisdiction.

Headquarters address

254 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

History

Formed on December 10, 1816, as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures, it split in 1825 and refocused on commerce. Renamed in 1961 to include Science and Transportation, it has shaped laws like the Interstate Commerce Act (1887), Airline Deregulation Act (1978), and recent FAA reauthorizations, adapting to modern challenges like broadband and space policy.

Related

See Also Links to related programs articles or organizations:

• United States Senate
• House Committee on Energy and Commerce
• Department of Transportation

External links

• Official Website
• wikipedia:United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Committee Legislation