Utah delegates seem pleased with committee posts

WASHINGTON — The Utah congressional delegation has finally received committee assignments for the new Congress, and they all claim the new positions will help them better serve the state.

With the power shift to the Democrats in both chambers, some reshuffling among committee assignments was necessary. The majority party has more members and more control over the committees, but Utah's mainly Republican delegation seems happy with the results.

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, will be on the health; energy and air quality; and commerce, trade and consumer protection subcommittees that fall under the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Under

House rules, this is the only committee to which he can belong, but with its broad jurisdiction, it suits Matheson just fine.

The health subcommittee oversees public health, biomedical programs, Medicaid and national health insurance, and food and drugs, while the energy and air quality subcommittee handles national energy policy, nuclear facility regulation, nuclear energy and waste, and the Clean Air Act, according to Matheson's office. Commerce, trade and consumer protection looks at privacy matters, product liability, motor vehicle safety and oversees the Federal Trade Commission.

"Whether it's cleaning up the Moab tailings pile, fighting against high-level nuclear waste or protecting kids from adult material on the Internet, I am in the right place at the right time to pursue an agenda that is important to Utah families," Matheson said in a statement.

In the last Congress, Matheson served on the House Financial Services, the House Science Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure committees.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, will be juggling more committees than in the last session. He previously served on the powerful House Rules Committee, which prohibited him from being on other panels.

Bishop's office announced that he has been appointed to the Armed Services, Resources and Education and Labor committees.

Bishop will serve on the Army and Air Force subcommittee and the readiness subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee.

Bishop called the assignments "good news" for him and for the district.

"These committees affect Utah, for better or worse, and so I want to make sure those impacts are positive," Bishop said.