Committees

Currently I serve on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Please read below about the responsibilities of these committees as well as the subcommittees I am a part of.

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, highways, bridges, mass transit, and railroads.  The Committee also has jurisdiction over other aspects of our national infrastructure, such as clean water and waste water management, the transport of resources by pipeline, flood damage reduction, the management of federally owned real estate and public buildings, the development of economically depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness and response, and hazardous materials transportation. For more information on the committee please click here.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

Issues and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee include:

  • Federal-aid highway and Federal transit programs
  • Highway and transit project planning and development
  • Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  • Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
  • Motor carrier and highway safety regulation 
  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
  • Highway safety research and highway safety grants to states
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  • Surface transportation research, administered by FHWA, FTA, and FMCSA, and coordinated through the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA)
  • Security and enforcement responsibilities of the above agencies, particularly FTA and FMCSA
  • The Clean Air Act, certain provisions relating to air quality issues

Water Resources and the Environment Subcommittee

Issues and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Water Resources and the Environment Subcommittee include:

  • The Army Corps of Engineers
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Water resources programs of the Army Corps
  • Water infrastructure and watershed protection programs
  • Deepwater ports
  • The Corps constructs projects for the purposes of navigation, flood control, beach erosion control and shoreline protection, water supply, environmental protection, restoration and enhancement and fish and wildlife mitigation
  • The EPA has responsibility for carying out the Clean Water Act

House Committee on Foreign Affairs

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs considers legislation that impacts the diplomatic community, which includes the Department of State, the Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps, the United Nations, and the enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act. For more information on the committee please click here.

Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa

The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the following within the Middle East and North Africa:

  • Matters affecting the political relations between the United States and other countries and regions, including resolutions or other legislative measures directed to such relations
  • Legislation with respect to disaster assistance outside the Foreign Assistance Act, boundary issues, and international claims
  • Legislation with respect to region- or country-specific loans or other financial relations outside the Foreign Assistance Act
  • Legislation and oversight regarding human rights practices in particular countries
  • Oversight of regional lending institutions
  • Oversight of matters related to the regional activities of the United Nations, of its affiliated agencies, and of other multilateral institutions
  • Identification and development of options for meeting future problems and issues relating to U.S. interests in the region
  • Oversight of base rights and other facilities access agreements and regional security pacts
  • Concurrent oversight jurisdiction with respect to matters assigned to the functional subcommittees insofar as they may affect the region
  • Oversight of foreign assistance activities affecting the region, with the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee
  • Such other matters as the Chairman of the full Committee may determine

Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade

The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the following:

  • U.S. efforts to manage and coordinate international programs to combat terrorism coordinated by the Department of State and other agencies;
  • Nonproliferation matters involving nuclear, chemical, biological and other weapons of mass destruction;
  • Oversight over international economic and trade policy; commerce with foreign countries; international investment policy; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Trade and Development Agency; commodity agreements; and special oversight of international financial and monetary institutions; the Export-Import Bank, and customs.
Lois was also elected to serve on the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee for the 115th Congress.


Lois' Caucus Membership