Maryland lawmaker newest appointee to Committee

By Jim Berard, 202-226-5064

WASHINGTON—Rep. James L. Oberstar (Minn.), Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure welcomed the Committee’s newest Member at yesterday’s markup session. Rep. Donna F. Edwards represents Maryland’s 4th Congressional District.

“She is a very distinguished person in her own right and a very distinguished Member of Congress, and we welcome her to the most distinguished Committee in the House,” Oberstar said.

Edwards received her bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University, and her law degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center in New Hampshire.

Prior to taking office, she was co-founder and Executive Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and earned national recognition for her efforts to help pass the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. She also worked on campaign finance reform issues for Public Citizen and the Center for a New Democracy.

Edwards replaces Rep. Doris Matsui (Calif.), who left the T&I Committee for a seat on the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Edwards will fill Matsui’s vacant seats on the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

In an additional piece of Committee business, Rep. Jason Altmire (Pa.) was appointed to fill Matsui’s vacancy on the Subcommittee on Aviation.

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