Sen. Ted Cruz has been ratified to chair the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and says he plans to use the role to focus on job creation and economic growth.
"With jurisdiction over 40% of the United States economy, the Senate Commerce Committee sits at the nexus of America's most critical industries," the Texas Republican said in a statement.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the first Texan chairman of this storied committee," he added. "My top priority in this role remains the same as it has throughout my entire career in the Senate: pursuing policies that will create jobs and spur economic growth."
The committee will be focused on several priorities, including "expanding commercial access to the electromagnetic spectrum, boosting human and commercial space exploration, improving the safety and efficiency of our nation's transportation system, ensuring the future and viability of college athletics, and much more," Cruz said.
"I look forward to continuing to work with Ranking Member [Maria] Cantwell and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find common ground and deliver results that will make a difference in the daily lives of the American people," the chair added.
Three new Republican members are joining the committee: Sens. John Curtis, R-Utah; Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio; and Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.
Several other GOP senators will continue serving on the committee. They are Sens. John Thune, R-S.D.; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; Deb Fischer, R-Neb.; Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Todd Young, R-Ind.; Ted Budd, R-N.C.; Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.; Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V.; and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.
Three new Democrats are also joining the committee for the 119th Congress: Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Andy Kim, D-N.J.; and Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.
Democrats remaining on the committee are Cantwell, D-Wash., its former chair, and Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.; Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.; Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M.; and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo.
Cruz previously served as the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee in the 118th Congress and is an active member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Rules Committee.
He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School and went on to serve as a law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist and as solicitor general of Texas. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and was reelected in 2018 and 2024.
The Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over several legislative issues, including aviation, transportation security, the Coast Guard, oceans, weather, science, space, interstate commerce, consumer issues, economic development, technology, and telecommunications.
In addition, the committee is also responsible for oversight of several federal agencies and review of executive branch nominations.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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