Washington, D.C. – Committee assignments were announced for the 110th Congress today, and U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-La.) has retained his seats on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, the House Agriculture Committee, and the House Education and Labor Committee.  Representative Boustany said he was pleased that each of these committee assignments focus on the many critical needs currently facing Southwest Louisiana.  

The Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee is responsible for building public infrastructure, including such major projects as highways, bridges, airports, waterways, and public transit systems.  

“From protecting our coastal wetlands and waterways to expanding and improving highways, particularly the completion of I-49, T&I has broad jurisdiction over the many transportation issues facing Southwest Louisiana,” Boustany said.  “With increased seniority on the committee, I look forward to continuing to highlight these issues throughout the next two years.”  

Congressman Boustany will be the only member of the Louisiana congressional to serve on an agriculture panel in the 110th Congress.  One of the major responsibilities that the House Agriculture Committee will address in 2007 is the reauthorization of agricultural programs in the Farm Bill.

“As the only member of our delegation on an agriculture committee, I look forward to being a voice for farmers and ranchers in all the rural areas of Louisiana,” Boustany stated.  “The reauthorization of the Farm Bill will bring many opportunities to highlight the needs of the agriculture community; including commodity support, trade, food assistance, and rural development policies.”

The Education and Labor Committee (formerly the Education and the Workforce Committee) oversees education and workforce programs that impact hundreds of millions of Americans, from school teachers and small business operators to students and retirees.  Through his position on this committee in the 109th Congress, Boustany pushed passage of the Hurricane Relief Extension Act of 2006 (H.R. 5354), which provided local school systems in the Gulf Coast additional time to obtain federal education funding approved by Congress.

“I am very proud of the work that the Education and the Workforce Committee accomplished in the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina,” Boustany said.  “In the next two years, I look forward to continuing this progress in order to ensure that Louisiana’s students receive the quality education they deserve in a safe and comfortable environment.”  
 
Subcommittee assignments for all three of these panels will be announced in the coming weeks.

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