(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter today announced his committee memberships for the 110th Congress.  Vitter will remain on the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works, Commerce, and Small Business Committees.  In addition, he will join the Foreign Relations and Aging Committees.

          “Now, more than ever, Louisiana needs a strong voice in the war on terror,” said Vitter.  “This committee makes decisions that impact not only our national foreign policy, but also issues that affect our brave Louisiana men and women fighting for our freedom abroad.”

          In the coming Congress, Sen. Vitter will gain a valuable seat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  With this new committee assignment, he will play an important role in supporting policy that supports the war on terror and a strong national defense. 

          For the past two years, Sen. Vitter has used his position on the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Work Committee to push through major Louisiana transportation projects, such as the authorization of major federal funding to help the state finish I-49.  As a freshman Senator, Vitter was named a Senate negotiator for both the Highway Bill and the Water Resources Development Act.  Vitter negotiated to have critical Louisiana coastal, hurricane and flood protections placed in the final WRDA legislation, but the bill did not pass in the final hours of the congressional session.

          “Keeping my seat on the Environment and Public Works Committee will be very advantageous to Louisiana,” said Vitter.  “From this committee I will advocate to finish vital WRDA projects that will provide comprehensive coastal, hurricane and flood protections as well as much-needed Corps of Engineers reform.”

          The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has broad jurisdiction over aviation, railroads, telecommunications, consumer affairs, tourism, climate change, coastal, fisheries, ocean, the Coast Guard, maritime, disasters, technology, science and space.  Over the last two years on the committee, Vitter passed legislation that funded disaster response and hurricane protection in Louisiana, authorized millions for our fishermen to recover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and improved disaster communications.

          “By maintaining my seat on the Commerce Committee, I will continue to work on strengthening our port security as well as push for critical fishery and coastal priorities,” said Vitter.

          Vitter will also continue to use his seat on the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee to advocate for Louisiana’s small businesses.  Vitter has already worked with several other members of the committee to extend and rework small business loans for disaster recovery.  He plans to continue pushing policies that will rebuild and strengthen the Louisiana economy.

          “Economic recovery in Louisiana rests on the back of our small businesses,” said Vitter.  “I will continue to use my position on this important committee to create more incentives to expedite the recovery of our courageous Louisiana small businesses.”

In addition, Vitter will be a member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.  This committee serves as forum in the U.S. Senate for discussion and debate on matters relating to older Americans.   Vitter intends to use his seat on the committee to advocate prescription drug reimportation as a real solution to the rising costs of prescription medications plaguing our seniors.

          “Our seniors should not be harassed by the federal government when they seek financial relief from the cost of prescription medication in Canada,” said Vitter.  “As a member of the Special Committee on Aging, I plan to continue fighting for safe prescription drug reimportation as a form of real financial relief to our seniors.”