Panama Canal under U.S. Senate discussion: A Strategic Lifeline for National Trade and Security

On January 28, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, convened a hearing titled “Fees and Foreign Influence: Examining the Panama Canal and Its Impact on U.S. Trade and National Security.”

The session underscored the Panama Canal’s pivotal role in U.S. commerce and addressed concerns over rising transit fees and foreign, particularly Chinese, influence on canal operations.