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Washington, D.C., January 4th - Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, was sworn-in today in a ceremony conducted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the first woman Speaker of the House in U.S. history (picture attached). A senior member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, Congressman Moran also received his committee assignments and will serve on the Subcommittees on Defense, Interior and Legislative Branch in the new, democratically-controlled 110th Congress.
"Speaker Pelosi is an inspiration to women everywhere. While the door for women in politics has been open for sometime, her elevation to Speaker has blown that proverbial barrier off the hinges for good," said Moran. "A tough, smart, experienced leader, Speaker Pelosi is going to leave her mark on the House of Representatives not by scandal that has befallen some of her predecessors but through legislation benefiting the American people."
Commenting on his new subcommittee assignments, Moran stated, "Now that Democrats are in the majority, I look forward to working with my colleagues on the committee to provide the necessary oversight of the Bush Administration that has been missing over the past six years. From my subcommittee positions, I will advocate policies to strengthen our national defense, safeguard the environment and bolster operations of the House and Capitol.
"As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I plan to also ensure that Northern Virginia receives its fair share of federal investment, to keep the economy strong, continue building a modern, livable, urban community and to help the underserved and underprivileged in our communities."
From his position on the Defense Subcommittee, Congressman Moran oversees the entire Defense Department budget. Working under the direction of Representative Jack Murtha, the Congressman looks forward to upcoming hearings on supplemental funding for the war and contracting abuses in Iraq. Locally, the Congressman plans to work on making the coming BRAC transition of 20,000 new jobs to Ft. Belvoir a smooth transition.
Congressman Moran will serve as the second ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior. The Interior Subcommittee oversees budgets for the National Parks Service and the federal land management agencies. It also plays a major role in determining how much federal funding is spent on conservation projects including allocating the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency.
Moran's third subcommittee assignment will be serving on the newly reinstituted Legislative Branch Subcommittee. This subcommittee will oversee the budget for all operations of the House and the U.S. Capitol. That includes oversight of the General Accountability Office (GAO), the Government Printing Office (GPO), the Capitol Police and the Library of Congress. |
