Shuster Becomes U.S. House T&I Committee Chairman
Earlier, PHIA reported that PA Congressman Bill Shuster (R-Blair) was poised to become the next chairman of the influential U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I). Today, the Republican majority made the move official and Shuster will become the chairman when Congress convenes its 113th Session in January. To view a copy of the press release by Rep. Shuster’s office, click here.
Shuster was recently endorsed for the powerful committee post by the U.S. House Republican Steering Committee, a group of key GOP leaders. Current House T&I Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) abandoned his pursuit of a waiver of House Republican term limit rules, under which he must step down from his leadership of the panel at the end of 2012. House GOP leaders have been clear the only committee leadership waiver that will be made this year is for former vice-presidential candidate and current House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).
The Shuster family is no stranger to the House T&I Committee chairmanship as retired Rep. Bud Shuster held the post for many years and was influential in the crafting if the ISTEA, and TEA-21 federal transportation authorizations. Rep. Bill Shuster replaced his father as congressman in 2001 and now follows him once again as chairman. Bud Shuster was also the 1983 recipient of the Transportation Advocate of the Year Award, which is PHIA’s highest honor. Bill Shuster was the 2012 Keynote Speaker at PHIA’s Annual Meeting in April.
House Democrats have not announced their committee leadership decisions, but current T&I Committee Ranking Democrat Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) is expected to continue in this role during the next Congress.
Source: ARTBA and the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors
