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Westmoreland named to three House committees

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

Eighth District Rep. Lynn Westmoreland said Friday he is very pleased with the three committee assignments he’s been given as he starts his inaugural term in Congress: Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Small Business committees.

Serving on the transportation panel is especially appropriate, said the Republican from Sharpsburg.

“A seat on the Transportation Committee was a priority for me because improving and expanding infrastructure is one of the greatest needs for our part of Georgia,” Westmoreland said. "We all know that our region has grown significantly in the past 10 to 20 years and I want to make sure that our long-term planning and our transportation options keep up with that growth as much as possible.”

Westmoreland, who won reelection in November and was sworn into Congress Jan. 4, said the transportation assignment means Georgia will have "a seat the table” in setting road funding priorities nationwide.

"One of my goals in coming years will be to fix the funding formula, which shortchanges Georgia’s taxpayers,” Westmoreland said. "For every dollar that Georgia sends to Washington in gas taxes, we get 75 cents back. That needs to change. Georgia is one of the country’s biggest state economies and we’re choking on our traffic. We need relief.”

Westmoreland said his assignment to the Government Reform Committee will allow him to continue the fight for smaller, more efficient, and more taxpayer-friendly government than what he encountered 12 years ago when he was first elected to the Georgia House.

“I’ve always fought for lower taxes and balanced budgets and the way to do that is to keep a close eye on oversight and to streamline our government services wherever we can,” Westmoreland said. “That’s the service I want to provide on the Government Reform Committee.”

As a homebuilder and developer based in Tyrone, Westmoreland also knows the challenges that face small businessmen, and he pledged to put that experience to use on the Small Business Committee.

“I want to create a business-friendly atmosphere that rewards innovation and hard work,” he said. “Small businesses create the vast majority of new jobs in Georgia, and with low taxes and less regulation, they can expand and create more good jobs for American workers.”

House Speaker Dennis Hastert commended Westmoreland on his assignments.

“Lynn Westmoreland comes to Washington with experience as a small businessman and as a leader in the Georgia Legislature, and that background will allow him to make an impact quickly on the Small Business and Government Reform committees,” Hastert said Friday. “And Lynn’s service on Transportation is going to be key for Georgia because moving goods and services is vital to creating jobs and growing Georgia’s economy.”

After a whirlwind first week in Congress that included a meeting with President and Mrs. Bush at the White House, Westmoreland spent the weekend at a retreat for House freshmen in Williamsburg, Va.