Committee Assignments
While serving as deputy whip, I also join my colleagues on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee; the Environment and Public Works Committee; and the Special Committee on Aging.
The purpose of a committee is to review proposed legislation before the Senate votes on it. The senator in charge of the committee is called the chairman, and is a member of the majority party. The minority party has a similar leader, called the ranking member. I currently serve as chairman of three subcommittees: Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security Subcommittee; Banking's Economic Policy Subcommittee; and the Environment and Public Works Committee's Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee.
When a committee is given a bill to prepare, they coordinate with different government agencies for input on the issue. For example, on a bill that is being reviewed by the Environment and Public Works Committee, committee members may ask for input from the Environmental Protection Agency on how to improve the bill. Then the committee may invite experts to give their testimony at a hearing. After the various agencies and experts have weighed in, the committee reviews the bill, makes changes and submits the bill to the full Senate for debate and a vote.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Subcommittees:- Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security (Chairman)
- Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
- Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
- Ad hoc Committee on Disaster Recovery
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Subcommittees:- Economic Policy (Chairman)
- Financial Institutions
- Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Subcommittees:- Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
- Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
- Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
- Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Subcommittees:- Clean Air and Nuclear Safety (Chairman)
- Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, and Children's Health Protection
- Transportation and Infrastructure