Cantwell lands key committee assignments
Energy and Natural Resources; Judiciary and Small Business position new Senator on top Washington state issues
Washington, D.C. - United States Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle announced today that Senator Maria Cantwell will serve on the United States Senate's Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; Committee on the Judiciary; and Committee on Small Business.
"Maria is a proven leader on privacy issues and protecting our environment and these assignments provide us with the expertise that will benefit not only the Pacific Northwest but the Nation," said Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota. "Her business experience as a high tech leader will allow for her to have an immediate impact on the floor of the United States Senate and on these important committees."
"I am thrilled with the Washington state focus of my new committee assignments," Cantwell said. "From our pressing energy problems to working as a good steward of our natural resources; from privacy issues to serving as an advocate for consumers and entrepreneurs; and from nurturing the new economy to bolstering main street businesses, these key committee assignments put me a strong position to fight for the interests of the Pacific Northwest in the nation's Capitol."
"I hope to provide a fresh consumer perspective to my Judiciary Committee work," said Cantwell. "We are an economy in transition and we need to have some standards of protecting our consumers while nurturing and growing our businesses. We need to help promote a stable environment for all our citizens.
"With campaign finance reform to be played out on the Senate floor and with key issues coming before these committees, I am ready to roll up my sleeves and work on the top priorities for our state," said Cantwell.
The Energy committee handles the nation's energy policy and about a quarter of all the legislation passed by the Congress in a year. The panel oversees the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Energy, all of the national parks as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The committee also considers matters from energy conservation, research and development to oil, gas, timber mining and land preservation. With the Energy and Natural Resources appointment, Cantwell follows in the footsteps of Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson, who served on the panel from 1953-1983 and as its chairman from 1963-1981.
In addition to all United States Supreme Court and federal judicial nominations and oversight of the Department of Justice, the Judiciary Committee considers several issues important to the new economy including: personal privacy, the Digital Millennium Copyrights Act, Y2K, encryption, wire tap, immigration including H1B Visas, Infrastructure Protection Act, a matter related to software and hardware hacker protections. With the Judiciary Committee appointment, Cantwell follows Senator Warren Magnuson who served on the panel from 1947-1953.
The Small Business committee has oversight of the United States Small Business Administration. Cantwell's committee assignments take effect immediately.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up the nomination of Senator John Ashcroft for U.S. Attorney General beginning on Tuesday next week. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee is set to consider Gale Norton as Secretary of the Interior on January 18 and 19th and Senator Spencer Abraham as Secretary of Energy on January 18th. Cantwell will wait until all the hearings are completed before deciding her position on these Cabinet appointments.
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