WASHINGTON — Friday, Congressman-elect Kai Kahele was nominated by the House Democratic Steering Committee to serve on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the 117th Congress.
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, highways, bridges, mass transit, and railroads.
The Committee also has jurisdiction over other aspects of our national infrastructure, such as clean water and waste water management, the transport of resources by pipeline, flood damage reduction, the management of federally owned real estate and public buildings, the development of economically depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness and response, and hazardous materials transportation.
In addition, the Transportation Committee has broad jurisdiction over the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Coast Guard, Amtrak, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Economic Development Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and others.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is one of the largest committees in Congress, and includes six subcommittees:
• Aviation
• Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
• Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
• Highways and Transit
• Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
• Water Resources and the Environment
“I will be honored to contribute to the work of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 117th Congress, where I will have a platform to advocate for the benefit of Hawai‘i’s Second Congressional District,” said Kahele. “Quality infrastructure is vital to a thriving economy, and as an island state, Hawai‘i’s air, land, sea, and undersea networks support the quality of life of our over 1.4 million residents. Our State and our nation have urgent infrastructure modernization needs, and I look forward to serving on the Committee that oversees the safety, efficiency, and climate resiliency of future transportation and infrastructure projects.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had this to say regarding today’s committee assignments:
“In November’s historic election, the American people voted to preserve the House Democratic Majority and to strengthen it with the election of our brilliant Freshmen Members,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “With these strong nominations, our Caucus has recognized the leadership and expertise of our outstanding Freshmen Class and returning Members and empowered them to make a difference.”
