DeFazio, Wicker To Chair Key Committees

With elections complete and retirements looming, the key committees steering aviation policy will see significant turnover in the 116th Congress that begins next month. In the House, two major factors are causing a shift: the retirement of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) and the flip of the House from Republican majority to Democrat majority. 

Shuster announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election after serving since 2001. House leadership tapped Sam Graves (R-Missouri), who has co-chaired the General Aviation Caucus, to fill the Shuster’s slot. Graves, however, will be ranking minority member rather than chairman. Rep. Pete DeFazio (D-Oregon), a long-standing member on the committee and former ranking Democrat, now steps in as chairman.

In the Senate, the Republicans retain the majority. But Senate Commerce Committee chairman John Thune (R-South Dakota) was selected as the Senate majority whip and is thus vacating the chairmanship. Succeeding Thune is Mississippi Republican Roger Wicker. Wicker has been chairman of the committee’s subcommittee on communications, technology, and the Internet.

Meanwhile, the Commerce Committee is losing its ranking Democrat, Sen. Bill Nelson (Florida), who narrowly lost his election to state Gov. Rick Scott (R). Nelson had served in the Senate since 2000. Succeeding Nelson in the ranking position is Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), who has been the top Democrat on the committee’s aviation subcommittee.