Maria Cantwell currently serves as a United States Senator for the State of Washington. As a respected leader – both in public service and in the private sector – Cantwell has always embraced the values she first learned growing up in a strong working-class family. With the help of Pell Grants, Cantwell was the first member of her family to graduate college. Later, a successful businesswoman in Washington’s high-tech industry, she helped build a company that created hundreds of high-paying jobs from the ground up. Cantwell was elected to the U.S. Senate pledging to honor the hard work and aspirations of the people of Washington state.

Throughout her time in the Senate, Cantwell has been a lead negotiator in numerous pieces of critical legislation including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act. As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, she has played a key role in shaping policies on net neutrality, broadband expansion, and media ownership. Cantwell has consistently pushed for stronger local journalism, introducing legislation like the Local Journalism Sustainability Act to support local news organizations. A leader in artificial intelligence legislation, Cantwell introduced the COPIED Act to protect journalists, actors, and artists against AI-driven theft. Through these initiatives, Cantwell continues to champion efforts that uphold the integrity of information and support local journalism.