U.S. Senator from Washington
Maria Cantwell
Democrat · Washington
Former tech executive (RealNetworks), serving since 2001. Senate Commerce Committee chair. Focus on trade, technology, tribal nations, and Pacific Northwest energy.
Record
Moderate-progressive Democrat. Commerce Committee chair with focus on tech policy, consumer protection, and trade. Advocate for tribal sovereignty and Pacific Northwest fisheries and energy.
Legislative Record
Recently sponsored bills (8 on record)
- S.4802 — Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act (Reported, Jun 17, 2026)
- S.4471 — Transportation Fuel Market Transparency Act (Introduced, Apr 30, 2026)
- S.4311 — Consumer Protection Remedies Act of 2026 (Introduced, Apr 15, 2026)
- S.4014 — A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Nisqually Indian Tribe the Clear Creek Hatchery infrastructure, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Mar 5, 2026)
- S.3881 — Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2026 (Introduced, Feb 12, 2026)
- S.3795 — Radar Next Program Act of 2026 (Introduced, Feb 5, 2026)
- S.3769 — Helping Our People Act of 2026 (Introduced, Feb 3, 2026)
- S.3700 — FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026 (Reported, Jan 27, 2026)
Notable votes
- Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — S. Res. 817 (Resolution Agreed to, Jul 30, 2026)
- Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 817 (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jul 29, 2026)
- Voted Yea on H.R. 6644 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 with an Amendment (SA 5823) (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jun 18, 2026)
- Voted Nay on S. 2 — S. 2, As Amended (Bill Passed, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Cortez Masto Amdt. No. 5463 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Padilla Amdt. No. 5808 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Gallego Amdt. No. 5813 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Peters Amdt. No. 5763 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)
- S.4318 — Breast Cancer Stamp Reauthorization Act (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
- S.4814 — A bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected status. (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
- S.4767 — Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5108 — A bill to protect and expand nationwide access to assisted reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5119 — A bill to require the United States Postal Service to sell the Alzheimer's semipostal stamp for 6 additional years. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5123 — Lunar Landing Day Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.4879 — Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act (Introduced, Jul 14, 2026)
- S.4884 — Right to Vote Act (Introduced, Jun 24, 2026)
Voting analysis
Maria Cantwell is ranking member of the commerce committee and sits ex officio on all six of its subcommittees — total minority-side coverage of one of the Senate's broadest jurisdictions. She also did not miss a vote.
Opposing bills while trying to change them
Her method appears twice. On a surveillance reauthorisation she voted against passage and supported two amendments to it, both rejected. On a second measure she again opposed passage while backing two amendments — one from each party — that also failed. Both times she wanted a different bill and voted accordingly at every stage.
Separately, two Republican amendments carried with her vote behind them, and she backed one bill at passage. A cloture motion she declined completes the record.
| Roll call | Date | Outcome | Their vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.R. 7148 H.R. 7148, as Amended On Passage of the Bill H.R. 7148 · roll call 119 | Jan 30, 2026 | Bill Passed | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 1071 Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1071 On the Cloture Motion S. 1071 · roll call 119 | Dec 15, 2025 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
| S. 2296 S. 2296, as amended On Passage of the Bill S. 2296 · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Bill Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| S. 2296 Scott (FL) Amdt. No. 3535 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3535 to S.Amdt. 3748 to S. 2296 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 2296 Paul Amdt. No. 3761 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3761 to S.Amdt. 3748 to S. 2296 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 5 Ernst Amdt No. 8, As Amended On the Amendment S.Amdt. 8 to S. 5 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Jan 20, 2025 | Amendment Agreed to | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 5 Cornyn Amdt. No. 14 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 14 to S.Amdt. 8 to S. 5 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Jan 15, 2025 | Amendment Agreed to | Yea (party: Nay) |
| H.R. 7888 On Passage of the Bill H.R. 7888 · roll call 118 | Apr 19, 2024 | Bill Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R. 7888 Lee Amdt No. 1840 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1840 to H.R. 7888 (No short title on file) · roll call 118 | Apr 19, 2024 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
| H.R. 7888 Wyden Amdt No. 1820 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1820 to H.R. 7888 (No short title on file) · roll call 118 | Apr 19, 2024 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
Above the Washington average
Washington's two Democratic senators sit apart on this measure, with Cantwell the higher of the pair.
Among the 2 Democrats in the Washington delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 4.3%. Maria Cantwell is above that average at 5.5%.
What she legislates on
Commerce and Native American affairs tie as her leading classified subjects. The bills are Pacific Northwest concerns almost throughout: recapitalising hurricane hunter aircraft, transparency in transportation fuel markets, consumer protection remedies, conveyance of hatchery infrastructure to the Nisqually Indian Tribe, and tsunami warning and research.
Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. Maria Cantwell's cluster into: Commerce (2), Native Americans (2), Emergency Management (1), Public Lands and Natural Resources (1), Science, Technology, Communications (1), Transportation and Public Works (1).
Of the 8 most recent of those, 6 currently sit at Introduced.
Tenure
Her congressional service spans both chambers back to the early nineteen-nineties, under one party throughout.
First elected in 1993, now serving across 14 terms. Maria Cantwell falls in the veteran cohort.
By the numbers
In the 119th Congress, Maria Cantwell has 1005 bills sponsored, 4280 cosponsored, 8 recent floor votes recorded.
Committee assignments
- Joint Committee on Taxation
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Ranking Member)
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Senate Committee on Finance
- Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
- Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Aviation, Space, and Innovation (Ex Officio)
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries (Ex Officio)
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy (Ex Officio)
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness (Ex Officio)
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety (Ex Officio)
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Telecommunications and Media (Ex Officio)
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