January 21, 2009

Sen. Martinez Announces 111th Congress Committee Assignments

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today announced his committee assignments for the 111th Session of Congress. The senator has been elevated to Ranking Member on the Senate's Special Committee on Aging; he joins the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; and he remains a member on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"These assignments allow me to continue to oversee the federal government's response to the most pressing issues facing Florida and our nation; issues involving national security and our economy are paramount," said Martinez. "Our work is cut out for us and we must move decisively to address the housing crisis, financial re-regulation, and doing what needs to be done to protect Americans."

Senator Martinez noted he was especially pleased to continue his service on the Senate's Special Committee on Aging.

"The Baby Boomer generation is entering retirement and that in itself presents a number of challenges and opportunities," said Martinez, now the leading Republican on the committee. "I look forward to working with Chairman Kohl in a bipartisan fashion to investigate and make recommendations on how to address the issues facing our nation's aging population."

The Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee holds jurisdiction over a wide swath of programs and issue areas including the Coast Guard, NASA, interstate commerce, and marine fisheries.

"The Commerce Committee has a large role in overseeing many of the federal programs directly affecting and benefiting Florida," said Martinez. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure our priorities are met."

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