Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Immediately after taking office, Congressman Aaron Schock received a coveted seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He was also the only Republican freshman selected to serve on the influential Highways and Transit Subcommittee which is charged with drafting the six-year highway bill due for reauthorization this year.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee currently has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, roads, bridges, mass transit, and railroads. But the Committee has jurisdiction over other aspects of our national infrastructure, such as clean water and waste management, the transport of resources by pipeline, flood damage reduction, the economic development of depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness and response, activities of the Army Corps of Engineers and the various missions of the Coast Guard.
When combined, these areas of jurisdiction provide a comprehensive view of how communities across the United States are connected to one another, how infrastructure affects the growth and flow of commerce at home and abroad, and how an effective government can improve the lives of its citizens.
The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is primarily charged with responsibilities relating to the construction of roads and transit facilities and the development of national surface transportation policy, including safety and research measures. As such, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over many programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
The foremost legislative product of the Subcommittee is the reauthorization of the Federal highway, transit and highway safety programs. Currently reauthorized approximately every six years, this legislation represents an investment in the nation’s infrastructure that translates into safer travel, more efficient commerce, and the creation of thousands of jobs.
Small Business Committee
Congressman Schock is also an active Member of the House Small Business Committee where he serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology. Through this position he advocates for issues specifically affecting Illinois small businesses. Additionally, he has invited several small businesses owners from the 18th District of Illinois to Washington to testify before Congress.
Through his the Committee, he has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at either expanding benefits for, or promoting economic recovery through, our nation’s small businesses. Some of those bills are:
• H.R. 1845, the Small Business Development Centers Modernization Act – bipartisan legislation passed by the House to provide assistance to those SBDC’s that focus on those areas significant to an economic recovery.
• H.R. 1836, the Reclaiming Earnings to Lift Individuals, Employers and Families (RELIEF) Act – bipartisan legislation to give small-business owners and employees a 100 percent suspension of the payroll tax for six months.
• H.R. 2672, the Help Veterans Own Franchises Act – bipartisan legislation that establishes tax incentives for franchisors to offer qualified veterans a discounted franchise fee when opening a new franchise.
• H.R. 2772, the SBIR and STTR Enhancement Act – legislation passed by the House to increases the size of R & D grant awards for small businesses and modernizes the technology used to administer these grants.
Congressman Schock has also been the lead author of several congressional letters to ensure that the rights of small businesses owners are protected as important debates unfold here in Washington.
• Rep Schock and Rep Brady Letter for PTAC Assistance – Led bipartisan letter signed by 36 of Representatives to request more funding for the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) a program which helps small businesses receive Defense contracts.
• Rep Shock and Rep Nye Letter to Protect Small Businesses in Health Care Debate – Led bipartisan letter signed by 49 Representatives to House Leadership urging them to ensure the interests of small businesses are not overlooked in the debate over health care reform.
• Rep Schock and Rep Halvorson Letter to Support Illinois Manufacturing Centers – Led bipartisan letter to Governor Quinn urging him to include funds in his budget for the Illinois Manufacturing Center (IMEC) which supports the 20,000 manufacturing companies in Illinois.
Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Congressman Schock was also granted a waiver from House Leadership to serve on a third Committee and was subsequently appointed to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has legislative jurisdiction over the District of Columbia, the government procurement process, federal personnel systems, the Postal Service and other matters. Our primary responsibility, however, is oversight of virtually everything government does – from national security to homeland security grants, from federal workforce policies to regulatory reform and reorganization authority, from information technology procurements at individual agencies to government-wide data security standards.
