Sen. Cruz: The Development and Deployment of Technology Should Be Done the American Way

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In his opening statement at today's Senate Commerce Committee nominations hearing, Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) highlighted the qualifications of the nominees under consideration and stressed they will play vital roles in improving transportation safety, securing American leadership in emerging technologies, and promoting economic growth.

Sen. Cruz praised Michael Graham, nominee for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as an experienced aviator and safety professional with a proven track record as a NTSB board member. He also emphasized how the nomination of Ethan Klein to be U.S. Chief Technology Officer within the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was critical in countering China's push for global dominance in AI. Sen. Cruz also commended Ms. Joyce Meyer for her strong fiscal and administrative experience, saying she would serve as a stabilizing economic figure in her role as Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs.

Here are Sen. Cruz's remarks as prepared for delivery:

"We now turn to this morning's nominations hearing. With us today are: Michael Graham, nominee for Member of the National Transportation Safety Board; Ethan Klein, nominee for Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and U.S. Chief Technology Officer; and Joyce Meyer, nominee for Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs.

"Mr. Graham is a safety professional and aviator who began his career in the Navy flying combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. After nearly a decade of military service, he worked at Boeing/McDonnell Douglas and then at Textron Aviation, the manufacturer of the Cessna aircraft. Mr. Graham oversaw the safety, security, and standardization of all flight operations at Textron. Since January 2020, he has served as a Board Member on the NTSB, actively participating in on-site investigations, analyzing and approving reports, and spearheading initiatives to improve safety across the transportation sector.

"Our next nominee, Ethan Klein, will serve as U.S. Chief Technology Officer within OSTP. In this role, Mr. Klein will help oversee tech policy for the administration and promote development in emerging fields like artificial intelligence. We know Beijing is marshaling its state resources to become the global leader in AI by 2030. America must not fall behind. I was encouraged by the administration's AI Action Plan, which OSTP helped to author, and I am confident Mr. Klein will be a key player in this new era of geopolitical competition.

"A MIT-educated nuclear scientist, Mr. Klein served in OSTP during the first Trump administration as a policy advisor to now-Director Michael Kratsios. He helped draft executive orders on artificial intelligence, drones, and biotechnology. And now, beyond advancing frontier research and development, he will drive the transfer of technology from lab to market-not through the heavy hand of the state, as China is doing, but in the American way, through free enterprise.

"Finally, we have Joyce Meyer, whose decades of fiscal and administrative experience prepare her to oversee the census as Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs. On Capitol Hill, she served as a long-time aide to former Speaker of the House (and noted fiscal wonk) Paul Ryan. In the first Trump administration, she served as a Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs.

"And now, she is a senior advisor at the Commerce Department, currently detailed to the White House. Ms. Meyer, who holds an MBA from Georgetown, will be a steady economic hand amid potential changes in markets.

"I look forward to hearing from her and all of our nominees today."

###