Hobson Appointed To Serve On Energy & Water, Defense Appropriations Subcommittees

HOBSON APPOINTED TO SERVE ON ENERGY & WATER, DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES

U.S. Representative Dave Hobson (R-Springfield) today was appointed to serve on two key House Appropriations Subcommittees that oversee funding decisions involving the nation's military, energy policy, scientific research and development, and the nation's waterway navigation system. Hobson will serve as the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and as a senior Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

The GOP Steering Committee approved the assignments today. Hobson served as the chairman of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee in the previous Congress when the Republicans were in the majority.

"We've made some progress in recent years on improving the management practices at the departments under our jurisdiction, emphasizing the value of science and technology in keeping our competitive edge, and moving our country towards energy independence. There's more work to do, and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead," Hobson said.

The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee funds programs in the U.S. Department of Energy, civil operations of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. Specifically, the Subcommittee directs and allocates federal spending for DOE operations, including nuclear weapons research and development, nuclear site cleanup, scientific research, and the 16 national laboratories. The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee also has jurisdiction over the construction and maintenance operations of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for navigation, flood control, environmental protection and disaster response.

Hobson will also continue to serve as a senior Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the nation's military, including operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The subcommittee's bill also funds the research and development and operations at Ohio military installations, including: Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), the Springfield Air National Guard Base (SANG), the Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC), and Rickenbacker International Airport.

"I will continue my work to make sure that our troops have the training and equipment they need to defend us here at home and abroad. At the same time, I will also make sure that those men and women and their families receive the pay, benefits, housing, and quality health care they deserve," Hobson said.

Over the years, Hobson has also served as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, and as a senior member of the Subcommittee on VA-HUD-Independent Agencies Subcommittee.

http://www.house.gov/hobson/press2007/pr_070111.htm