Over the past couple of weeks the House Democrat leadership has released the rosters and subcommittee chairs for legislative committees in the 116th Congress. Most recently, Representative Peter DeFasio (D-Oregon), Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the final list of members elected to serve under him as chairs of the various subcommittees.
Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) will serve as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment where she hopes to “promote federal investment in our water infrastructure and drought resiliency measures,” according to a statement from her office. Representative Napolitano will also use her gavel to advocate for strict implementation of environmental laws including the Clean Water Act.
Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) was as added as a new member to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and will serve as Vice Chair of the Full Committee to Chairman DeFasio. Vice-Chairman Carbajal promised that he will work with the committee to promote new investment in American infrastructure and reform the Highway Trust Fund.
Both Vice-Chair Carbajal and Subcommittee Chairwoman Napolitano received influential seats on a committee that will play a central role in any infrastructure legislation that is developed by Congress. Members hope infrastructure is an area for potential progress in what will otherwise promise to be a heavily divided Congress.