Sen. Moran Appointed to Influential Committees for the 119th Congress

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced his committee assignments for the 119th Congress. Sen. Moran will return to being Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs (SVAC) in addition to new committee assignments as a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Sen. Moran will serve on the following committees for the 119th Congress:

• U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations
• U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
• U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
• U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
• U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs (Chairman)

"I am honored to lead the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and I remain committed to making certain veterans in Kansas and across the nation have a VA that is working for them and an opportunity to achieve success after their service," said. Sen. Moran. "I also look forward to advocating for Kansas producers on the Senate Committee on Agriculture and helping craft a long-term Farm Bill to provide much-needed certainty to farmers and ranchers. Each of these committees has important jurisdiction over issues and programs that impact Kansans and our nation, and I am committed to using my position on these committees to better the lives of Kansans and all Americans."

As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Sen. Moran will have greater opportunity to draft a new, long-term Farm Bill that will help farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods are impacted by drought, tornadoes and factors outside of their control. Sen. Moran will also work to advocate for critical research on drought resistant crops and conservation and encourage the development of the biofuels including sustainable aviation fuel.

Sen. Moran will continue his role on the Senate Committee on Appropriations where he has made it a priority to make certain Kansas military bases - Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and McConnell Air Force Base - receive the support, resources and supplies needed to play a leading role in defending our country. In addition, Sen. Moran remains committed to providing law enforcement officers with the tools they need to perform their responsibilities of keeping our communities safe. This committee also allows the senator to continue bolstering medical research to save and improve lives and maintaining our country's role as a leader in medical innovation on the world's stage. In this role, Sen. Moran will also continue advocating for support to NASA, promote STEM education and advance our nation's goal of returning American astronauts to the Moon.

Sen. Moran will continue serving on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation allowing him to support aviation, aerospace and aviation manufacturing industries which are vital to Kansas. In addition, this committee oversees the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), providing critical reforms to the FAA. In Kansas, aviation and aviation-related activities support more than 90,000 jobs, making it a crucial industry for the state. The Commerce Committee plays an essential role in maintaining and advancing a thriving economy, and provides Sen. Moran the opportunity to advocate for improvements to highways, rail, shipping, space, interstate commerce, consumer issues, economic development, technology and product safety. Through this committee, Sen. Moran will also continue to work to bridge the digital divide and increase rural connectivity through oversight of federal broadband deployment programs.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Sen. Moran will be in a position to help lead the effort to reform Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas. Sen. Moran previously served on the committee and worked to improve conditions for the tribal college in Lawrence. Bureaucratic mismanagement and neglect by the Bureau of Indian Affairs led Sen. Moran to rejoin this committee to hold the bureau accountable and improve the lives of Native Americans across the country.

Sen. Moran will continue serving as a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and will have the opportunity to work on a number of sensitive and pressing issues facing our country's national security, including continued threats from foreign powers, non-state actors and transnational threats. In his role on the Intelligence Committee, he will provide critical legislative oversight of U.S. intelligence activities and programs in order to make certain these functions conform to the Constitution and laws of our nation.

Sen. Moran has worked throughout his time in Congress to improve the quality of life for the nearly 250,000 veterans living in Kansas. He has served on both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees and served as both ranking member and chairman of the committee. He will return to lead the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs in the 119th Congress. In this role, he will build on previous legislative accomplishments including the SFC Heath Robinson PACT Act, delivering toxic-exposed veterans with their earned health care and benefits; the John Scott Hannon Act, bolstering veterans' access to mental health and suicide prevention resources; and the VA MISSION Act, empowering veterans and providing them with the timely and quality care they deserve.

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