WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.) was confirmed by a vote of the House Republican Conference today to serve as chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the 112th Congress.
The committee has broad jurisdiction over the nation’s highways, aviation system, transit, rail transportation, pipelines, the Coast Guard, maritime transportation, water resources, economic development, public buildings, and emergency management.
“We must begin immediately to address the significant needs and challenges facing our nation’s infrastructure and create jobs,” Mica said. “Today, our government, elected leaders, and Americans everywhere have no choice but to do more with less. This will also be the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s mandate.
“With limited resources, cutting red tape to complete stalled projects and better utilization of the federal government’s assets are top priorities,” he continued. “Improving our infrastructure will ensure a strong backbone for our economy.”
“The Committee must pass stalled major surface transportation, aviation, and water resources bills, and I will do so as soon as possible in a manner that protects the taxpayers and creates jobs. It is critical that Congress jumpstarts transportation projects to rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and get people working.”
One of those stalled bills is the reauthorization of the FAA, which has been “temporarily” extended a record 17 times.
In the previous two congresses, Mica served as the committee’s Republican leader. Prior to that, from 2000 to 2006, he was the chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, during which time he authored the last multi-year FAA authorization to be signed into law. Mica has been a member of the committee since his election to Congress in 1992.
Thank God we now have someone coming into the Chairmanship of this important committee, who will further transportation (most specifically aviation issues), to benefit the citizens of this nation, rather than the “do nothings”, who accomplished nothing in this venue, but instead occupied themselves with supporting “Social programs” for the past 4 years!