Committees and Caucuses
Rick is a member of the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and House Agriculture Committee, as well as the following subcommittees:
Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry
Rick is also a member of the following Caucuses:
Arts Caucus
The Congressional Arts Caucus is a bipartisan organization for Members of Congress who support the arts through federal initiatives. For over 30 years, the Congressional Arts Caucus has organized Members of the House of Representatives in cooperation to support the Arts in America.
Autism Caucus
Also known as The Coalition for Autism Research and Education (CARE), the caucus is a bipartisan coalition that seeks to increase awareness and education both within Congress and with the broader public, and to bring together diverse groups to pursue initiatives that facilitate research and treatment. Sen. Al Franken and Reps. Collin Peterson (MN-07), and John Kline (MN-02) are also members.
Bike Caucus
The Bike Caucus was initially conceived as an informal, bipartisan group whose primary goal would be to provide a place for cycling Members of Congress and their staffs to have fun. The objectives of the caucus have evolved to include promoting policies that aim to integrate bicycling as an attractive transportation and recreational alternative. Whatever the solutions proposed, their implementation in livable communities requires a process in which grassroots involvement helps create and solidify partnerships comprised of civic and business organizations, state, local and federal governments. The Bi-Partisan Congressional Bike Caucus is supported by over 160 Members, representing 43 states and the District of Columbia.
Boating Caucus
The Congressional Boating Caucus is an informal, bipartisan group of U.S. Senators and Representatives formed in 1989 to advocate the interests of the recreational boating industry. The Caucus seeks to improve economic conditions that negatively impact the industry, protect our nation’s waterways for the estimated 83 million American boaters who use them each year, address boating safety and create international trade opportunities.
Diabetes Caucus
This is the largest caucus in Congress, with close to 230 members in the 112th Congress. Its mission is to educate members of Congress and their staff about diabetes and to support legislative activities that will improve diabetes research, education, and treatment. They’ve been successful in obtaining $1.5 billion for the Special Diabetes Program, which funds juvenile diabetes research and Native American treatment and prevention programs through the Indian Health Service. They played a key role in enacting legislation to provide Medicare coverage for blood testing strips, glucose monitors, and diabetes self-management education. The Caucus is optimistic the research they have advocated to fund will cure type 1 (juvenile) diabetes in the near future.
Congressional Progressive Caucus
Established in 1991, the CPC reflects the diversity and strength of the American people and seeks to give voice to the needs and aspirations of all Americans and to build a more just and humane society. The Progressive Promise is rooted in core principles that embody national priorities and are consistent with the values, needs and aspirations of all the American people, not just the powerful and the privileged. Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05) is the Chair.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Caucus
Rep. Nolan joins fellow Minnesota delegation member Rep. Tim Walz (MN-01), who is a founding Co-Chair. The caucus strives to promote and pass legislation that is helpful for Emergency Medical Services by ensuring emergency medical providers in the field have training, resources, and communication technologies necessary to provide the best care possible.
Finnish Caucus
The Friends of Finland Caucus serves to strengthen the ties between U.S. and Finland and to serve as a forum for dialogue among members of Congress and the government of Finland. It also has a task of promoting issues of mutual interest and supporting the interests of Finnish-Americans. Congressman Nolan is a founding co-chair of the Caucus.
General Aviation
General Aviation (GA) Caucuses were formed in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in 2009, to inform Members and staff about the importance of GA to the nation's economy and transportation system. Today, the House GA Caucus has over 120 members, making it among the largest caucuses in the House of Representatives. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, and Reps. John Kline (MN-02), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Erik Paulsen (MN-03), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Tim Walz (MN-01) are also members.
Invasive Species Caucus
Invasive species, such as Asian Carp or zebra mussels, are a dangerous threat to the tourism and sporting industry of Minnesota's 8th District, as well as to our way of life. The Invasive Species Caucus will serve to raise awareness about invasive species issues, support local communities who are bearing the brunt of this problem, and promote efforts to prevent and control the spread of invasive species. The Caucus will also provide opportunities for Members of Congress to meet with other policy makers, organizations and industry leaders that are working to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Law Enforcement Caucus
The Law Enforcement Caucus is a bipartisan working group who seek an open forum to address issues affecting the law enforcement community; Rick will work with other Representatives in the House to create pro-law enforcement policies and find ways the federal government can better assist state and local law enforcement departments.
Native American Caucus
The Congressional Native American Caucus is a bipartisan coalition of legislators working to improve nation-to-nation relationships between the federal government and the 566 sovereign tribal nations. For 15 years, the Caucus has worked to protect tribal sovereignty, meet federal trust obligations, and improve the lives of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Reps. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Tim Walz (MN-01) also serve on this caucus.
Organic Caucus
The House Organic Caucus was formed in 2003 to promote the fast-growing organic industry, and serves to educate Members of Congress about the importance of organic policies and programs.
Paper Caucus
This bipartisan caucus will highlight the importance and economic significance of the paper industry and will focus on the policy solutions needed to sustain and promote this important sector.
Ports Caucus
The Congressional PORTS Caucus aims to promote the importance of our ports to the nation’s economy as well as the need to secure them and maintain their functionality. This bipartisan caucus brings together Members who represent diverse ports across the country in order to find ways to promote the nation’s ports and keep them safe. As Minnesota’s 8th District Representative, Congressman Nolan shares the caucus’ goals of ensuring the safety and efficiency of ports both large and small.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education STEM Caucus
Co-chaired by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett of MD and Rep. Daniel Lipinski of IL, the STEM Ed Caucus is responsible for legislation supporting: (1) research and development performed by scientists and engineers; (2) technologically-proficient workers who are capable of dealing with the demands of a science-based, modern workforce; (3) scientifically-literate voters and citizens.
Small Brewers Caucus
The bipartisan House Small Brewers Caucus is dedicated to educating Members of Congress and their staff about legislation, regulations, and other unique issues faced by small American breweries. Reps. Erik Paulsen (MN-03), John Kline (MN-02), Betty McCollum (MN-04), and Sen. Amy Klobuchar are also members.
Sportsman’s Caucus
The bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) has grown into one of the largest and most effective caucuses in the U.S. Congress, with nearly 300 members of the House and Senate representing almost all 50 states. Sen. Al Franken and Reps. John Kline (MN-02), Erik Paulsen (MN-03), Michele Bachmann (MN-06), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Tim Walz (MN-01) are also members.
Steel Caucus
The steel industry employs 153,700 people in over 100 facilities in the United States and last year, the American steel industry produced steel shipments valued at $75 billion. The Representative Steel Caucus is a bipartisan coalition of Representatives dedicated to promoting American manufacturing and the steel industry and serves as a forum for policy discussions regarding issues that particularly industry’s interests.
Sustainable Energy & Environmental Coalition
The House of Representatives Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) was founded in January 2009, at the start of the 111th Congress, to be a focused, active, and effective advocate for policies for clean energy innovation and job creation, environmental protection, and policies that will address global climate change. Founded by co-chairs Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), with thirty-five charter members, SEEC has over its three-year existence grown to fifty two members, and has established itself as a key green voice in the Congress. Read our press release here.
TRIO Caucus
The Congressional TRIO Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress designed to support federal TRIO Programs and higher education access for low-income, first-generation, and disabled students. These programs serve students from middle school through post-graduate study by providing academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other supports necessary for educational access and retention. The Caucus’ aim is to generate support for TRIO programs to generate awareness of the need for improving educational opportunities for all Americans. Currently TRIO programs are under threat of sequestration budget cutbacks, and therefore an immediate goal of the Caucus is to prevent draconian cuts.
Travel and Tourism Caucus
The Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus’s mission is to formulate national policy that promotes travel to and within the United States.
Victims’ Rights Caucus
The bipartisan Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus was formed in 2006 by Reps. Ted Poe (TX-02) and Jim Costa (CA-16). The three goals of the Caucus are to represent crime victims in the United States through the bipartisan introduction of legislation that reflects their interests, rights, and needs; to provide an ongoing forum for dialogue between Congress and national victim assistance organizations to enhance mutual education, legislative advocacy, and initiatives that promote justice for all, including crime victims; and to seek opportunities for public education initiatives to help the nation understand the impact of crime on victims, and to encourage their involvement in crime prevention, victim assistance, and community safety.
Rep. Nolan has co-sponsored legislation along with Rep. Poe that seeks to decriminalize the victims of sex trafficking, as well as to tighten federal laws governing sex trafficking.