California Members Gain Influence on Infrastructure Committee

Washington, DC…Over the past couple of weeks the House Democrat leadership has released the rosters and subcommittee chairs for legislative committees in the 116th Congress. Most recently, Representative Peter DeFasio (D-Oregon), Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the final list of members elected to serve under him as chairs of the various subcommittees.

Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) will serve as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment where she hopes to “promote federal investment in our water infrastructure and drought resiliency measures,” according to a statement from her office. Representative Napolitano will also use her gavel to advocate for strict implementation of environmental laws including the Clean Water Act.

Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) was as added as a new member to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and will serve as Vice Chair of the Full Committee to Chairman DeFasio. Vice-Chairman Carbajal promised that he will work with the committee to promote new investment in American infrastructure and reform the Highway Trust Fund.

Both Vice-Chair Carbajal and Subcommittee Chairwoman Napolitano received influential seats on a committee that will play a central role in any infrastructure legislation that is developed by Congress. Members hope infrastructure is an area for potential progress in what will otherwise promise to be a heavily divided Congress.