WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Shomari Figures (D-AL) was named to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the House Agriculture Committee for the 119th Congress.

Figures is the only member of the Alabama Congressional delegation named to the Transportation and Infrastructure committee, and is one of two members from Alabama on the Agriculture committee.

“I am incredibly grateful to the Democratic leadership for the opportunity to serve on both of these committees,” said Figures. “These committees will allow us to have a direct role in delivering resources to address many critical needs in Alabama’s Second Congressional District. From the I-10 Bayway Bridge to ensuring our port has the resources it needs to thrive to supporting our farmers and rural communities, these committee assignments are vital to moving our District and our State forward.”

“Being appointed to the Agriculture committee this year is crucial for our rural communities with the upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which will provide needed resources for our farmers, allocate SNAP benefits, and protect and preserve our rural healthcare and hospital systems, and support our land grant schools across the State of Alabama.”

Background:

The  House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, highways, bridges, mass transit, and railroads.  The Committee also has jurisdiction over other aspects of our national infrastructure, such as clean water and wastewater management, the transport of resources by pipeline, flood damage reduction, the management of federally owned real estate and public buildings, the development of economically depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness and response, and hazardous materials transportation.

In addition, the Transportation Committee has broad jurisdiction over the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Coast Guard, Amtrak, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Economic Development Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and others.

The House Committee on Agriculture has jurisdiction over agriculture, forestry, nutrition, water conservation, and other agriculture-related fields. It oversees the Department of Agriculture (with the exception of the Forest Service), the Farm Credit Administration, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.