DeGette Now on Three Key Subcommittees: Health, Environment, Oversight & Investigations

Washington, DC –Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) today was selected to serve on three key Energy and Commerce subcommittees working on issues of national concern that have special resonance for Coloradans.

During the 115th Congress, DeGette is joining the Health and Environment subcommittees and will remain the top Democrat on the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. 

“I am honored to serve on these three subcommittees, which cover issues affecting everyday life in Colorado and the long-term future of our country,” DeGette said. “We need to be vigilant about proposed laws and policies from the incoming administration. I’ll work across the political aisle whenever possible to ensure that we’re headed in the right direction, but I also won’t shy away from a fight – the stakes are too high.“

The Health Subcommittee oversees all matters related to public health, including public and private health insurance, biomedical research and the regulation of food, drugs and cosmetics. As a long-time advocate for expanded health care for all Americans and the co-author of the ground-breaking 21st Century Cures Act, which became law in December, DeGette anticipates helping to steer this vital subcommittee toward bipartisan solutions and to fight a unilateral repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

The Environment Subcommittee covers all matters related to soil, air and water contamination, including nuclear waste, toxic substances and hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking, and implementation of the Clean Air Act). A life-long Coloradan, DeGette is intimately aware of the importance of preserving the natural environment, and will use her knowledge and experience to advocate for sound policy that protects wilderness, critical ecosystems and consumers from environmental degradation.

In her continued role as Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, DeGette will guide inquiries into the federal agencies, departments and programs related to the jurisdiction of the full Energy and Commerce Committee. Recent investigations in this subcommittee have prompted additional protections against concussions in youth sports and called attention to the causes of dramatic price increases for Epi-Pens.