U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing to consider nominations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology at 10:00 AM EST on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
Nominees:
Matthew Anderson, of Colorado, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Arvind Raman, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
On Wednesday, March 4, at 10:00 a.m., U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, will hold a hearing to examine a discussion draft of S.__ the Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2026
The House Energy and Commerce’s Environment subcommittee held a related hearing on January 22.
The proposed TSCA Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act introduces higher evidentiary standards, such as a “more likely than not” threshold for regulating toxic risks, which could hinder the EPA from taking action against harmful chemicals. The draft also narrows the scope of risk reviews to manufacturer-defined uses, limits worker protections by restricting the EPA from assuming noncompliance with outdated OSHA standards, and introduces fast-track exemptions that prioritize industry data.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee executive session on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET to consider the following legislation and Coast Guard promotions:
Agenda:
S. 933, NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 (Cruz, Cantwell, Moran, Peters, Schmitt, Luján, Duckworth)
S. 3923, Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 (Cruz, Cantwell, Sullivan, Blunt Rochester, Moran, Schatz, Sheehy, Rosen)
Coast Guard Promotions (PN716, PN846)
The NASA Authorization Act of 2026, an amendment in the nature of a substitute to S. 933 (NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025), is bipartisan legislation to be offered by Chairman Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). This legislation is a two-year reauthorization that would reassert American leadership in space by, among other things, directing NASA to establish a permanent Moon Base, advancing the Artemis program, and preserving the International Space Station through at least 2032 when commercial space stations are expected to begin operation.
The bill does not mention of earth science or climate science at all.
The commercialization of space satellite data is continued (sec. 605).
If the NASA budget kills earth/climate science, the administrator can ignore the NAS decadal survey (sec. 603).
The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 is a package of 17 bipartisan bills aimed at strengthening the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) forecasting, warning, and hazard communication capabilities.
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Business meeting to consider the nomination of Douglas Weaver, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a full five-year term beginning July 1, 2026, and expiring June 30, 2031.
Weaver was confirmed to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by the Senate on December 17, 2025, by a 71–29 vote and sworn in on December 22, 2025 for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2026.
The purpose of the business meeting is to consider the pending nominees and legislation listed in the agenda below.
Nominees:
PN. 730-52, the Nomination of the Honorable Stevan Pearce to be Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
PN. 786-8, the Nomination of the Honorable David LaCerte to be a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2031.
PN. 806-3, the Nomination of the Honorable Kyle Haustveit to be Under Secretary of Energy.
Legislation:
S. 601/H.R. 1276, A bill to remove restrictions from a parcel of land in Paducah, Kentucky. (Mr. Paul / Rep. Comer).
S. 815, A bill to designate the outdoor amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, as the “Rick Boucher Amphitheater”. (Mr. Warner).
S. 1135, A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. (Mr. Curtis).
S. 1981, A bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to utilize grazing for wildfire risk reduction, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto).
S. 2102, A bill to establish the Ralph David Abernathy, Sr., National Historic Site, and for other purposes. (Mr. Ossoff).
S. 2787, A bill to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to ensure that ranchers who have grazing agreements on national grasslands are treated the same as permittees on other Federal land. (Mr. Barrasso).
S. 3004, A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Bureau of Land Management land to the city of Price, Utah, and for other purposes. (Mr. Lee).
S. 3493, A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land in Carson City, Nevada, and for other purposes. (Ms. Rosen).
S. 3527, A bill to release from wilderness study area designation certain land in the State of Montana, to improve the management of that land, and for other purposes. (Mr. Daines).
HR. 204, A bill to require that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior submit accurate reports regarding hazardous fuels reduction activities, and for other purposes. (Rep. Tiffany).
HR. 952, A bill to convey the reversionary interest of the United States in certain land in Sacramento, California. (Rep. Matsui).
HR. 1829, A bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain lands within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, and for other purposes. (Rep. Crane).
U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness, will convene a hearing titled “Less Hype, More Help: AI That Improves Safety, Productivity, and Care.” The hearing will examine how artificial intelligence — a technology as transformative as the internet — can improve Americans’ quality of life, create jobs, and drive economic growth.
Witnesses:
Demetri Giannikopoulos, Chief Innovation Officer, Rad AI
Brittany Ng, Vice President, Siemens Digital Industries Software
Dr. Damion Shelton, Co-Founder and Chairman, Agility Robotics
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, will convene a subcommittee field hearing titled “Arctic Security Infrastructure Imperative: Aligning U.S. Maritime Investments with National Security Needs” in Anchorage, Alaska on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. AKST.
Witnesses:
Randy “Church” Kee, Director, Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies
Mike Sfraga, Interim Chancellor of University of Alaska, Fairbanks; Former U.S. Arctic Ambassador and Former Chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission
General Joe Ralston, USAF (ret.), Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe; Former Commander, U.S. European Command; and Former Commander, U.S. Alaska Command
Joy Baker, Port Director, City of Nome, Alaska
Steve White, Executive Director, The Marine Exchange of Alaska
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Stop the Money Pipeline in partnership with Rainforest Action Network, Reclaim Finance, Third Act, and LittleSis just produced a groundbreaking report, titled “Better Options: how large companies and nonprofits can select climate-aligned credit card partners”
Retailers, like Costco, have co-branded credit cards with the largest funders of fossil fuels in the world: Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America.
But, we discovered: there are better options.
Out of the 20 largest credit card issuers in the United States, eight financial institutions have not provided any funding to the fossil fuel industry since 2021.
Come to this call to learn more about the key findings and how you can help stop fossil fuel expansion.
If you and thousands of your fellow consumers pressure Costco and other retailers to partner with better, greener credit card companies, both retailers, and subsequently banks, will be forced to act.
On Wednesday, February 25, at 10:00 a.m., U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, will hold a hearing to examine the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 and other ongoing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) projects, programs and priorities.
Witnesses:
Adam R. Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Department of the Army
Lieutenant General William H. Graham Jr., Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army