U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, alongside fellow Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has called for a regular order in the review of the budget reconciliation text released by Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz. The Democrats are urging that the significant legislation be debated through standard committee processes rather than expedited through a partisan floor process.
Senator Cantwell and her colleagues argue that the Republican bill will have widespread implications without sufficient scrutiny. "If these policies are ‘bold and transformational’ and will have an impact ‘for generations to come’ as you argue, then they should be debated and considered through the regular order of our committee process," wrote the Senators in their letter to Chair Cruz.
The proposed legislation is said to affect national security by auctioning off critical defense spectrum, impacting aviation safety systems, and threatening Wi-Fi reliance for millions of Americans. The Senators also criticized an AI Moratorium included in the bill, stating it undermines states' rights and delays necessary broadband funding.
In addition to concerns about national security and technological impacts, the bill proposes changes to air traffic control systems that differ from previous House-passed versions. The lack of consensus among Republicans on this issue highlights the need for comprehensive discussion within the committee.
"This Committee has a long history of negotiating major pieces of bipartisan legislation," noted the Senators, referencing past successful legislative efforts such as the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and others. They emphasize their capability to handle such significant policy proposals through established processes.
The letter concludes with a strong appeal for bringing this matter before the Committee for thorough examination before any further legislative action is taken.
