Thune Hands Cruz Chairman’s Gavel at Senate Commerce Committee
Cruz's agenda includes expanding private sector spectrum access to drive investment and job creation.
Jericho Casper
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2025 – Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has named Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
As chair, Cruz will have significant control over the committee’s hearings, legislative agenda, and oversight — building on his experience as the committee’s ranking member during the last Congress.
“As chairman, I can convene hearings… I can call up markups. I can decide what bills get marked up and what bills don’t. It gives you the ability to drive an agenda that is just qualitatively different,” Cruz explained in a recent episode of his podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz, in which the senator outlined his agenda for the committee.
A top priority, Cruz said, will be expanding access to wireless spectrum. He called for the federal government to release government-held spectrum for private sector use.
“When you move spectrum to the private sector, it creates tens or even hundreds of thousands of jobs and unleashes tens or hundreds of billions of dollars of investment… Freeing it up for the private sector is critical to maintaining America’s leadership in technology,” Cruz said.
Cruz also stressed the importance of a “light-touch” regulatory approach to artificial intelligence, warning against Democratic proposals he characterized as heavy-handed. “The Democrats. . .want to create, essentially, a European-style prior approval system where any innovation in AI, you’ve got to go to the federal government first. That’s a terrible idea,” Cruz said.
Cruz also highlighted his focus on holding big tech accountable and advancing energy independence, both of which he views as critical to economic stability. “America is the energy superpower of the world. We need to be energy dominant,” Cruz said, emphasizing the connection between energy policy, inflation, and job creation.
Thune will keep his seat on the committee, joined by several other returning members, including: 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.Va.; and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.
The committee will welcome three new Republican members: John Curtis, R-Utah; Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio; and Tim Sheehy, R-Mont. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, will leave the committee to assume his role as Vice President in the new administration.
