The 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: United States Senate Committee on Commerce and Manufactures (1816–1825) United States Senate Committee on Commerce (1825–1946, 1961–1977) United States Senate Committee on Manufactures (1825–1855, 1864–1946) United States Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce (1885–1946) United States Senate Committee on Interoceanic Canals (1899–1946) United States Senate Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (1946–1961) United States Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences (1958–1977)
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 (119th Congress)Minority (119th Congress)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 SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberAviation, Space, and InnovationJerry Moran (R-KS)Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)Telecommunications and MediaDeb Fischer (R-NE)Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data PrivacyMarsha Blackburn (R-TN)John Hickenlooper (D-CO)Coast Guard, Maritime, and FisheriesDan Sullivan (R-AK)Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)Science, Manufacturing, and CompetitivenessTed Budd (R-NC)Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and SafetyTodd 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 NamePartyStateStartEndFederalistRhode Island18161817Democratic-RepublicanNew York18171820Democratic-Republican(1820–1824)New Jersey18201825Crawford Democratic-Republican(1824–1825)
Committee on Commerce, 1825–1947 NamePartyStateStartEndAdams-Clay Republican(1825)Massachusetts18251826Adams Republican(1825–1826)Adams RepublicanLouisiana18261827JacksonianNew Hampshire18271831JacksonianGeorgia18311832JacksonianAlabama18321833Anti-JacksonMassachusetts18331835Anti-JacksonMassachusetts18351836Jacksonian(1836–1837)Alabama18361841Democratic(1837–1841)WhigConnecticut18411845DemocraticNorth Carolina18451846DemocraticNew York18461849DemocraticMaine18491856DemocraticWisconsin18561857DemocraticAlabama18571861DemocraticPennsylvania1861RepublicanMichigan18611875RepublicanNew York18751879DemocraticGeorgia18791880DemocraticNorth Carolina18801881RepublicanNew York1881RepublicanMinnesota18811887RepublicanMaine18871893DemocraticNorth Carolina18931895RepublicanMaine18951911RepublicanMinnesota19111913DemocraticArkansas19131916DemocraticFlorida19161919RepublicanWashington19191930RepublicanCalifornia19301933DemocraticMississippi19331935DemocraticNew York19351939DemocraticNorth Carolina19391946
Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 1947–1961 NamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanMaine19471949DemocraticColorado19491953RepublicanNew Hampshire1953RepublicanOhio19531955DemocraticWashington19551961
Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, 1958–1977 NamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticTexas19581961DemocraticOklahoma19611963DemocraticNew Mexico19631973DemocraticUtah19731977DemocraticKentucky1977
Committee on Commerce, 1961–1977 NamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticWashington19611977
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 1977–present NamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticWashington19771978DemocraticNevada19781981RepublicanOregon19811985RepublicanMissouri19851987DemocraticSouth Carolina19871995RepublicanSouth Dakota19951997RepublicanArizona19972001DemocraticSouth Carolina2001RepublicanArizona2001DemocraticSouth Carolina20012003RepublicanArizona20032005RepublicanAlaska20052007DemocraticHawaii20072009DemocraticWest Virginia20092015RepublicanSouth Dakota20152019RepublicanMississippi20192021DemocraticWashington20212025RepublicanTexas2025present
Ranking members
NamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanMaine???1947DemocraticColorado19471949RepublicanNew Hampshire19491953DemocraticColorado19531955RepublicanOhio19551959RepublicanKansas19591962RepublicanMaryland19621963RepublicanNew Hampshire19631975RepublicanKansas19751979RepublicanOregon19791981DemocraticNevada19811983DemocraticSouth Carolina19831987RepublicanMissouri19871995DemocraticSouth Carolina19952001RepublicanArizona20012003DemocraticSouth Carolina20032005DemocraticHawaii20052007RepublicanAlaska20072008RepublicanTexas20082013RepublicanSouth Dakota20132015DemocraticFlorida20152019DemocraticWashington20192021RepublicanMississippi20212023RepublicanTexas20232025DemocraticWashington2025present
Historical committee rosters 118th Congress
Majority (118th Congress)Minority (118th Congress)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 SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberAviation Safety, Operations and InnovationTammy Duckworth (D-IL)Jerry Moran (R-KS)Communications, Media and BroadbandBen Ray Luján (D-NM)John Thune (R-SD)Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data SecurityJohn Hickenlooper (D-CO)Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and ManufacturingTammy Baldwin (D-WI)Dan Sullivan (R-AK)Space and ScienceKyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)Eric Schmitt (R-MO)Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight and PortsGary Peters (D-MI)Todd Young (R-IN)Tourism, Trade, and Export PromotionJacky Rosen (D-NV)Ted Budd (R-NC)
Source:
117th Congress
MajorityMinorityMaria 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 SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberAviation Safety, Operations and InnovationKyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)Ted Cruz (R-TX)Communications, Media and BroadbandBen Ray Luján (D-NM)John Thune (R-SD)Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data SecurityRichard Blumenthal (D-CT)Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and ManufacturingTammy Baldwin (D-WI)Dan Sullivan (R-AK)Space and ScienceJohn Hickenlooper (D-CO)Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight and PortsGary Peters (D-MI)Deb Fischer (R-NE)Tourism, Trade, and Export PromotionJacky Rosen (D-NV)Rick Scott (R-FL)
Source:
116th Congress
MajorityMinorityRoger 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, Tennessee Maria 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 SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberAviation and SpaceTed Cruz (R-TX)Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)Communications, Technology, Innovation and the InternetJohn Thune (R-SD)Brian Schatz (D-HI)Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer ProtectionJerry Moran (R-KS)Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)Science, Oceans, Fisheries, and WeatherCory Gardner (R-CO)Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)SecurityDan Sullivan (R-AK)Ed Markey (D-MA)Transportation and SafetyDeb Fischer (R-NE)Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
115th Congress MajorityMinorityJohn Thune, South Dakota, Chair