Latest news with #SenateCommerceCommittee
Politico
an hour ago
- Politics
- Politico
‘It was a bloodbath': Cruz, Carlson feud offers preview of 2028
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and conservative media personality Tucker Carlson doubled down on their feud over U.S. involvement in the escalating war between Israel and Iran, with each releasing their own podcasts on Friday following up on the fiery debate earlier this week. The ongoing war of words between the two high-profile conservative thought leaders — both of whom have left the door open to a possible 2028 presidential run — could offer a glimpse at what the first Republican presidential primary of the post-Donald Trump era might look like. 'It was a bloodbath,' Cruz said of his appearance on Carlson's podcast on an episode of 'Verdict with Ted Cruz,' the show he hosts. 'The two of us, frankly, beat the living daylights out of each other for two hours straight.' Carlson and Cruz's contentious conversation — in which both men repeatedly shouted at each other and traded personal insults — revealed fissures on the right between pro-Israel Republicans urging the White House to launch an attack on Iran and conservative isolationists who hope the president will uphold his commitment to keep the U.S. out of foreign conflicts. On Friday, both insisted on their respective podcasts that the other was leading the U.S. down the wrong path. Carlson said Cruz's ominous warnings of Iran's nuclear capabilities were part of an effort to 'justify American involvement in regime change.' '[Carlson] has gotten to a place of hardcore isolationism that I think is really dangerous,' Cruz said on his podcast. Cruz and Carlson's disagreement over the U.S.' policy over the escalating conflict in the Middle East will play out in the coming days. Trump told reporters in New Jersey on Friday he's taking 'a period of time' to decide whether to strike Iran, and that the self-imposed two-week timeframe to launch a strike the White House announced on Thursday would be the 'maximum.' But the two men may also find themselves in competing lanes of the 2028 Republican presidential primary, where the intraparty debate between war hawks and isolationists could be a fault line for Republican primary voters. Carlson said he would consider running for president in 2028 in an episode of his podcast last year, while conceding in the same breath, 'I don't think I'd be very good at it.' 'I would do whatever I could to help,' he told fellow conservative podcast host Patrick Bet-David. 'I want to be helpful.' Cruz, who ran for president against Trump in a bitterly-contested 2016 primary that was punctuated with personal attacks, has not closed the door on a 2028 presidential run. When asked about the possibility of running in 2028 by POLITICO in April, Cruz said he's focused on delivering legislative victories for Republicans — even as he uses his new post heading the Senate Commerce Committee to put his stamp on the direction of the party. Perhaps further forecasting another dynamic of the 2028 primary, Trump refused to show a preference for Carlson or Cruz's position, instead offering praise to both men when asked about the interview. 'Tucker is a nice guy. He called and apologized the other day, because he thought he said things that were a little bit too strong, and I appreciated that,' Trump told reporters on Thursday. 'And Ted Cruz is a nice guy. He's been with me for a long time.'
Politico
2 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Trump's FAA pick acknowledges he doesn't have a ‘commercial' pilot's license
Bryan Bedford, the Trump administration's pick to head the Federal Aviation Administration, acknowledged this week that he does not have a commercial pilot's license, despite having claimed for years to have one as part of his biography on the airline's website. Bedford, the CEO of Republic Airways, said it is 'correct' that he doesn't have a commercial pilot's license. He said he had passed the oral and written exams needed for one but didn't complete a 'check ride' — a test of flying ability conducted by an FAA examiner — due to bad weather, according to answers to questions submitted by lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee. 'It is true I fully completed all my commercial flight training, including the FAA written exam and FAA oral exam,' he wrote in the document. 'However, due to weather, I was unable to complete my FAA check ride before switching jobs and therefore did not formally obtain my commercial flight license.' A Democratic committee aide, granted anonymity to discuss the details of the questionnaire, said the committee received Bedford's answers on Monday. POLITICO reported last week about discrepancies related to his pilot's license credentials. In answer to a question about why he continued to publicly claim having earned a commercial license, including in a 2019 speech he gave at Liberty University, Bedford suggested that 'context is important in this setting.' 'I was simply trying to relate to these students my appreciation for their achievements based on my own extensive flight training experience. I still fly, as a pilot, on a regular basis,' he wrote. The Transportation Department previously confirmed that Bedford passed the oral and written part of the licensure requirements. On Wednesday, Halee Dobbins, a DOT spokesperson, said Bedford 'has a proven track record that makes him exceptionally qualified to lead the FAA' and said 'desperate smears from the fake news media are nothing more than a cheap attack and disregard the importance of ensuring a safe and reliable national air system.' Republic Airways did not respond to a request for comment. But in addition to the 2019 speech, Bedford's biography at Republic Airways, the regional airline where he has been CEO since 1999, said until last week that he 'holds commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings.' A search of the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine shows his biography had mentioned his having a 'commercial' rating since 2010. Bedford has appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee and is awaiting a vote on the Senate floor on his nomination. So far, the licensure issue does not appear to be a significant impediment to his confirmation. Bedford does hold a private pilot's license, including some specialized certifications such as being able to fly planes with more than one engine and to fly in certain conditions where instruments are needed instead of visual cues.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
US Senate committee hearing on commerce, science and transportation
US Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety, convened a subcommittee hearing titled 'On the Right Track: Modernizing America's Rail'. This hearing will examine the state of the US freight and passenger rail network, with an emphasis on enhancing safety, improving efficiency, fostering innovation, and ensuring the long-term viability of the nation's rail infrastructure to move American energy, goods, and people. The hearing will explore avenues for meaningful regulatory and policy reforms in the context of the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. Show more Show less
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah lawmakers oppose AI regulation in Trump's ‘Big, beautiful bill'
SALT LAKE CITY () — Utah Lawmakers have signed a letter opposing specific measures related to artificial intelligence in President Donald Trump's In a letter addressed to Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Senator John Curtis (R-Utah), state lawmakers say they are 'concerned with the proposed ten-year moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence regulation.' According to , initially the bill was and block dozens of states from enforcing preexisting AI regulations and oversight structures in any way. But on June 5, the Senate Commerce Committee altered the text on the bill. The new version would only require states not to regulate AI if they want access to federal broadband funding. The bill allocates $500 million over the next 10 years to modernize government systems with the help of AI and automation technologies. In a letter signed by nearly 50 lawmakers including House Speaker Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) and Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore (R-Draper), they claim the provision would hinder Utah's nationally recognized efforts 'to strike the right balance between innovation and consumer protection.' They add that since Utah to establish an Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, followed by the launch of an AI learning Lab, Lawmakers say these initiatives 'allow Utah to encourage responsible AI development, empower industry leaders and shield consumers from real-world harms, all without stifling innovation.' According to , a centerpiece of the legislation is making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent — which nonpartisan scorers and think tanks estimate would cost trillions of dollars over the next decade. Utah taxpayers may take a hit if 2017 cuts expire The bill also includes a proposal that would raise the cap for the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which would allow taxpayers — especially those in higher-tax blue states — to deduct more of their regional taxes from their federal tax bill. The bill also has major reforms to Medicaid, estimated to lead to millions of people losing coverage by 2034. Trump is pushing Congress, where Republicans have majority control, to send the final product to his desk to become law by the Fourth of July. RSL hoping to make a run in second half of season Utah lawmakers oppose AI regulation in Trump's 'Big, beautiful bill' 'Somebody has to stop it:' Gov. Cox defends Trump's decision to deploy troops to LA 'We're living in the dumbest timeline' — Gov. Cox comments on SLC Sego pride flags Calif. governor asks court to block Trump administration from using troops in immigration raids Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Bloomberg
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Senators Call for Watchdog Probes of Midair Plane Collision Near DC
A bipartisan group of senators called on government watchdogs to examine the midair collision near DC in January, in part to determine whether shortfalls in managing the congested airspace contributed to the deadly accident. The senators, including Ted Cruz of Texas and Washington's Maria Cantwell — the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee — requested in a letter Monday that the acting inspector general for the Transportation Department examine the US Federal Aviation Administration 's oversight of the airspace around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where the collision occurred.
