WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson learned from House Agriculture Committee Chairman-Elect Frank Lucas that he will lead the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry for the upcoming 112th Congress, beginning Jan. 5, 2011.
Last week, Thompson was made aware, that in total he will have three committee assignments for the 112th Congress. He had retained seats on the House Agriculture and the House Education & Labor Committees, in addition to a new appointment on the House Natural Resources Committee.
In response to the news that he was named Chairman for the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry, Thompson said, “I am honored that Chairman Lucas and my colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee have recognized my commitment to our nation’s farmers and agricultural sector. This appointment will be great for the people of the 5th District and Pennsylvania, as I will have more input toward the issues affecting our lives on a daily basis – from the Commonwealth’s family farms to Marcellus Shale, to the Allegheny National Forest and Chesapeake Bay Watershed.”
The jurisdiction of the Conservation, Energy & Forestry Subcommittee will include soil, water, and resource conservation; the small watershed program; energy and bio-based energy production; rural electrification; and forestry in general.
An announcement earlier today from Agriculture Committee Chairman-Elect Frank Lucas of Oklahoma stated:
“Our Subcommittee Chairmen have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the success of American agriculture and rural economies. They are ready to join me in addressing the challenges that farmers, ranchers, and small businesses face across rural America. The next year will be an exercise in educating our freshmen members on both sides of the aisle, providing oversight of the administration, and building a strong working relationship as we prepare to reauthorize the farm bill in 2012.”
