U.S. Rep. John Mica was selected by his fellow Republicans in Congress to chair the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure -- giving a Floridian the gavel over the powerful committee overseeing highways, aviation, rail, maritime shipping, public buildings and the Coast Guard, amongst other tasks.
We must begin immediately to address the significant needs and challenges facing our nations infrastructure and create jobs, said Mica.
Today, our government, elected leaders, and Americans everywhere have no choice but to do more with less, added Mica. This will also be the Transportation and Infrastructure Committees mandate.
A veteran of the House, first elected in 1992, Mica had been the ranking Republican on the committee before the November elections. A veteran of Florida politics who served in the Legislature in the late 70s, Mica was no stranger to Washington when he was elected, having served as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Paula Hawkins.
A member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since entering Congress, Mica served as chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee when Republicans controlled Congress earlier in the decade.
Mica represents Flagler and St. Johns counties on the Atlantic coast as well as parts of Orange, Putnam, Seminole and Volusia counties.
A fiscal conservative, Mica said he would help lead the committee to embrace small government solutions in an attempt to restart the nations struggling economy.
With limited resources, cutting red tape to complete stalled projects and better utilization of the federal governments assets are top priorities, said Mica. Improving our infrastructure will ensure a strong backbone for our economy.
The committee must pass stalled major surface transportation, aviation, and water resources bills, and I will do so as soon as possible in a manner that protects the taxpayers and creates jobs, added Mica. It is critical that Congress jumpstarts transportation projects to rebuild our nations crumbling infrastructure and get people working.
Mica should feel comfortable in his congressional seat. He easily turned back a challenge from Democratic candidate Heather Beaven back in November and has traditionally done well in defending the seat. While Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain won the district back in 2008 taking 53 percent of the vote, Mica ran far ahead of him, taking 62 percent against Democrat Faye Armitage.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
