The Republican Steering Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives appointed Congressman-Elect Tom Rice (R-SC) to the Transportation & Infrastructure, Budget, and Small Business Committees of the 113th Congress.
The 113th Congress will begin on January 3, 2013 when Congressman-Elect Rice is sworn into office to represent the constituents of South Carolina’s newly created 7th Congressional District.
“As a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee I look forward to working on the significant needs of the 7th Congressional District, including the I-73 corridor and dredging of the Georgetown Port,” said Congressman-Elect Rice.
“I also recognize that there is a spending problem in this country and we need to reform how we spend taxpayer money. As a member of the House Budget Committee, I look forward to working with Chairman Paul Ryan to address the insolvency of entitlement programs and institute reforms that will make programs – like Social Security and Medicare – solvent for those currently enrolled in the programs, but also solvent for those younger American’s who are worried that these programs will not be available in the future.”
“We all know that small businesses are the drivers of job growth, not only in the 7th District but throughout the United States,” stated Congressman-Elect Rice. “As a member of the House Small Business Committee I will work to address the uncertainty regarding the true costs of hiring new employees. We still don’t know how much ObamaCare will cost small businesses, and now President Obama wants to raise marginal tax rates on the same people and businesses that are responsible for creating jobs. You throw in all of the over-burdensome federal regulations, and it’s not hard to see why it is difficult for small businesses to create jobs in this environment. We need to create an environment that encourages job growth, not stifles it.”
Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Jurisdiction –
www.transportation.house.gov
The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee currently has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, roads, bridges, mass transit, and railroads. The Committee also has jurisdiction over other aspects of national infrastructure including: clean water and waste water management, economic development of depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness, activities of the Army Corps of Engineers and the various missions of the Coast Guard.
Budget Committee Jurisdiction – www.budget.house.gov
The jurisdiction of the House Budget Committee is derived from the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (the Budget Act) as well as House Rule X. This jurisdiction is protected under the Budget Act, which states that no bill, resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report dealing with any matter within the jurisdiction of the Budget Committee shall be considered in the House of Representatives unless it is a bill or resolution that has been reported by the Budget Committee or unless it is an amendment to a bill or resolution reported by the Budget Committee.
House Rule X, clause 1(d) states that the Budget Committee will have jurisdiction over the concurrent resolution on the budget; other matters required to be referred to it pursuant to the Budget Act; establishment, extension, and enforcement of special controls over the federal budget; and the budget process generally.
Over the years, the duties and responsibilities of the Budget Committee have been established in statute, as well as House Rules. These responsibilities include: drafting and preparation of the annual Concurrent Resolution on the Budget, commonly referred to as the “budget resolution”; budget reconciliation; budget process reform; oversight of the President’s annual budget request and Congressional Budget Office; and revisions of budget allocations, emergency budget requests and adjustments;.
Small Business Committee Jurisdiction – www.smallbusiness.house.gov
The House Small Business Committee was established to protect and assist small businesses. As such, the Committee has jurisdiction over matters related to small business financial aid, regulatory flexibility, and paperwork reduction. Additionally, the House Small Business Committee has oversight and legislative authority over the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its programs.
