Committees and Caucuses
House Veterans' Affairs Committee
The House committee on Veterans' Affairs is the authorizing committee for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The committee is responsbile for recommending legislation expanding, curtailing, or fine-tuning existing laws relating to veterans' benefits. The Committee also has oversight responsibility, which means monitoring and evaluating the operations of the VA. If the Committee finds that VA is not administering laws as Congress intended, then it is addressed through the hearing process and legislation.
Congressman Lamb has been appointed Ranking Member of the new Subcommittee on Technology Modernization which oversees technology projects in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Modernization program.
The State of Pennsylvania has more than 800,000 living veterans, with more than 250,000 in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Veterans' Affairs of Pittsburgh Hospital System (VAPHS) conducts about 2,000 outpatient visits each day.
The VA EHR Modernization is a $16 billion project to create an efficient and accurate electronic record system, compatible with an ongoing employee health record modernization at the Department of Defense, that can prevent disruptionsin patient care, protect the privacy of veterans, and ensure American taxpayer dollars are invested responsibly.
This Subcommittee has oversight and investigative jursidiction over verans' matters generally and such other matters as may be referred to the Subcommittee by the Chairman of the full Committee. The Subcommittee provides oversight of programs and operations of the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as those of other federal agencies that pertain to veterans. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Subcommittee conducts hearings, site visits, and investigations nationwide. The Subcommitee's legislative jurisdiction is over such bills or resolutions as may be referred to it by the Chairman of the full Commitee.
This Subcommitee has legislative, oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over compensation, general and special pensions of all wars of the United States.
House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology
The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has jurisdiction over all energy research, development, and demonstration, and projects therefor, and all federally owned or operated non-military energy laboratories; astronautical research and development, including resources, personnel, equipment, and facilities; civil aviation research and development; environmental research and development; marine research; commercial application of energy technology; National Institute of Standards and Technology, standardization of weights and measures and the metric system; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Science Foundation; National Weather Service; outer space, including exploration and control thereof; science scholarships; scientific research, development, and demonstration, and projects therefor. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology shall review and study on a continuing basis laws, programs, and Government activities relating to non-military research and development.
The Subcommittee on Environment shall have jurisdiction over the following subject matters: all matters relating to environmental research; Environmental Protection Agency research and development; environmental standards; climate change research and development; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including all activities related to weather, weather services, climate, the atmosphere, marine fisheries, and oceanic research; risk assessment activities; scientific issues related to environmental policy, including climate change; remote sensing data related to climate change at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); earth science activities conducted by the NASA; other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman; and relevant oversight.
The Subcommittee on Space has legislative jurisdiction and general oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to astronautical and aeronautical research and development including: national space policy, including access to space; sub-orbital access and applications; National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its contractor and government-operated labs; space commercialization, including the commercial space activities relating to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce; exploration and use of outer space; international space cooperation; the National Space Council; space applications, space communications and related matters; earth remote sensing policy; civil aviation research, development, and demonstration; research, development, and demonstration programs of the Federal Aviation Administration; and space law.
Expand Social Security Caucus
The newly created Expand Social Security Caucus is committed to expanding Social Security, one of the most popular and successful government programs. Last year alone, Social Security lifted 22 million Americans, including more than 15 million seniors, out of poverty. Before Social Security, nearly half of the nation’s seniors were living in poverty.
The Caucus will be focused on enhancing the incredible benefits that Americans have earned through Social Security for their retirement, if they become severely disabled, and for their families.
Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
The mission of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus is to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. The bi-partisan, 119-member Caucus is strongly committed to achieving the full enjoyment of human rights for LGBT people in the U.S. and around the world. The Caucus is led by the six openly LGBT members of Congress who serve as CoChairs and who authorize the release of statements and Caucus positions.