FL's Mica and Ros-Lehtinen Assigned Top Minority Seats on Key Committees

Rep. John Mica (FL-7) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18) have been tapped to serve as ranking members on two key House committees.

Rep. Mica will serve as the ranking minority member of the Transportation Committee. This appointment presents a great opportunity to have Florida's transportation needs addressed. Florida, and other southern states, have often been left wanting for important infrastructure dollars. From the Congressman's press release:

“It is a great honor to be selected to this most important position by my colleagues,” Mica stated. “Our states and communities face very serious challenges with congestion clogging our highways, railways, airports and ports. My priority as the Republican leader on the Transportation Committee is to work effectively with the Administration and Members of Congress as we review and help set our national transportation policies.”

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee sets national policy and funding levels for all U.S. aviation, highway, transit, railroad, water resource and U.S. Coast Guard programs. The Committee passed legislation after September 11 th that helped restore the aviation industry and reformed aviation security, and also authorizes major highway and aviation bills every four to six years.

Rep. Mica has served on the Transportation Committee since 1993. He has been Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee since 2001, and has also sat on the Railroad and the Highways and Transit Subcommittees. The Congressman has been recognized as a national leader on aviation security and mass transit issues.

Mica said, “With record levels of traffic congestion and delays experienced by travelers today, we must continue to invest in our nation’s transportation systems to expand our economy and build our nation’s aging infrastructure. I look forward to working with the public and private sector to achieve these goals.”

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Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, who was poised to chair the International Relations Committee had the Republicans retained control of the House, will now serve as its ranking member.

The ''support is most humbling and it shall be rewarded by my working doubly hard to ensure that the message of the GOP in international affairs is strong, determined and rooted in the core principles of our party to protect our nation's security and interests,'' Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement.

Henry Hyde, current chair of Inter. Rel., had nothing but good things to say about Ros-Lehtinen:

Ros-Lehtinen brings ``intelligence, leadership and enthusiasm to the important task of guiding the minority on the International Relations Committee.'' (Miami Herald)

Congratulations to Reps. Mica and Ros-Lehtinen, and good for Florida.