Kaufman Named to Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security Committees

Press Release

Kaufman Named to Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security Committees

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate approved the appointment of Senator Ted Kaufman (D-Del.) to two additional Senate committees -- the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Kaufman already serves on the Foreign Relations and Judiciary Committees.

"I'm very pleased about the opportunity to serve on two additional committees, both so vitally important to our national security and to the state of Delaware," said Sen. Kaufman. "With Dover Air Force Base, a major shipping port in Wilmington and an Atlantic coastline -- I'm familiar with many of the issues addressed by these committees. I look forward to serving under the leadership of Armed Services' Chairman Levin and Homeland Security Chairman Lieberman. It will also be a pleasure to join my colleague from Delaware, Senator Tom Carper, on the Homeland Security Committee."

Welcoming Kaufman to Armed Services, Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) said: "I look forward to working with him on the many critical issues which our services face. I travelled with Ted to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq last fall, and I greatly admired his work ethic and passion for supporting our troops in combat. His long service to the nation makes him a welcome addition to the Committee."

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-CT) noted: "Senator Kaufman is a welcome addition to HSGAC's membership. His thoughtful approach to policy will be an asset on the array of issues that come before us, particularly with regard to federal employees, for whom Ted has already been a great advocate,"

"Senator Kaufman brings a world of understanding into how our federal government works and how it can be made to work better. That is one major responsibility of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee," added Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), who chairs the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security. "Another critical responsibility of the Committee is to protect our homeland. Ted has invested a remarkable amount of time over the past year in understanding the nature of the threats we face around the world and how to combat them. He will be an excellent addition to our Committee."

The Armed Services Committee has jurisdiction over all military operations and the development of weapons systems. The Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force, also fall under the Armed Services committee's oversight. The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs oversees the Department of Homeland Security and many major government functions like disaster recovery.

As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Kaufman has been one of the leading voices in the Senate supporting international press freedom, public diplomacy, civilian-military cooperation and an expanded civilian role in counterinsurgency. On the Senate Judiciary Committee, Kaufman has sought to combat both financial fraud in the wake of the economic crisis, as well as fraud in the nation's health care system.

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