Walden elected House Energy, Commerce panel chairman
The House GOP Steering Committee on Thursday elected Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., to serve as the next chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://goo.gl/1CJNCi ) the appointment will give Walden oversight of federal departments in charge of consumer protections, food and drug safety, public health, environmental quality and energy policy, among others.
The post also means Walden will be a key player in the debate over the fate of the Affordable Care Act, which President-elect Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have said will be repealed and replaced in the next Congressional session.
Walden released the following statement:
“I am deeply honored to earn the support of my colleagues to chair this incredibly important committee. Americans are looking for big improvements out of Washington, and that’s just what we’re going to give them as we work with the Trump Administration, the Senate, and the governors, to move forward on the Better Way agenda. Our work will focus on what’s best for consumers, on creating better paying jobs and providing patient-centered health care.
“I commend my friends and fellow committee members, former Chairman Joe Barton and Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus, for stepping forward to compete for this chairmanship. They are talented legislators and leaders to whom I will turn for help as we embark on our legislative work. I also want to thank outgoing Chairman Fred Upton who proved again yesterday with overwhelming passage of the 21st Century Cures legislation, that our committee does great, bipartisan work for the American people,” said Walden.
Walden said he and other committee chairs will not make subcommittee chairmanship decisions until after the Steering Committee finalizes committee rosters in early January.
About the Energy and Commerce Committee
As the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House, the Energy and Commerce Committee has broad jurisdiction. It has responsibility for the nation’s telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health research, environmental quality, energy policy, and interstate and foreign commerce. Walden is the first Energy and Commerce Chairman from the Pacific Northwest.
About Greg Walden
Greg Walden represents the people of Oregon’s Second Congressional District, which includes 20 counties in central, southern, and eastern Oregon. Walden, 59, is a lifelong Oregonian whose ancestors came to Oregon by wagon train in 1845. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism. He and his wife, Mylene, owned and operated small market radio stations in Oregon for 21 years.
In 1998, he was elected to the U.S. House, winning a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2001. Since 2011, he has served as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He’s also served four years as Deputy Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and four years as Chairman.
Walden served eight years in the Oregon Legislature before coming to Congress. In addition to his small business and legislative experience, Walden also served several years on various boards, including a local community hospital board, a community bank board, the Oregon Health Sciences Foundation board, and the Associated Oregon Industries board. He’s a Member of the Elks, and Rotary International, and is an Eagle Scout.
