Committee Assignments

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In addition to his role as a Deputy Whip, Senator Carper serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Finance Committee. Senator Carper is the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and is the chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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. 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.

To learn more about Senator Carper's committee assignments, please visit the following pages:

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Chairman)

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Senator Carper is responsible for working with members of the committee to advance legislation under its jurisdiction. Some of Senator Carper’s top priorities as chairman are postal reform, cyber security, curbing waste in government spending, and strengthening America’s borders. In addition to this, Senator Carper and the committee are responsible for reviewing legislation that affects the Department of Homeland Security and, more broadly, the efficiency and effectiveness of government functions. To learn more about Senator Carper’s role as chairman, visit the Committee’s website here.

Committee on Environment and Public Works