Rep. Dunnam named to influential house committees

AUSTIN-- Today, State Representative Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) was appointed to serve on three committees for the 81st Legislative Session. Among those appointments, Rep. Dunnam was selected to Chair the Select Committee on Economic Stabilization Funding. He will also serve on the House Committees on Transportation and Environmental Regulation, respectively. His assignments will be an asset to the communities of District 57.

"My committee assignments are especially important to the citizens of District 57, and all Texans." said Rep. Dunnam. "As the federal government implements the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, it is incredibly important that the Texas Legislature have a constant, open dialogue with its Federal counterpart. I am excited about this unique opportunity to work on all of the committees I have been assigned to, and, as always, I will keep the citizens of House District 57 in mind as I consider economic, transportation and environmental regulation issues."

Announcing the House committee assignments, Speaker Straus stated, "When I was elected Speaker of the House, I committed to create an environment where members could operate fairly and allow them to bring their best talent forward to confront the difficult challenges facing our state. In selecting Representative Dunnam as committee chair, I considered his wisdom, experience and proven ability to provide new, dynamic leadership and offer fresh ideas."

The Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding will be responsible for monitoring the actions of the Federal government in relation to efforts to promote economic recovery. The proclamation by Speaker Joe Straus, who created the committee, stated that "[T] he committee shall examine federal funding made available to the state in the areas of transportation, health care, and education and communicate with federal officials to determine appropriate state legislation needed to maximize the state's receipt of federal funds." The committee will make recommendations to the House Committee on Appropriations as the session progresses. Rep. Myra Crownover (R-Lake Dallas), was selected as Rep. Dunnam's vice-chair.

The House Committee on Transportation has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the Texas highways system, the licensing of vehicles, railroads, airports and the Texas Department of Transportation, among others.

"Serving on the Transportation committee is important to our District for any number of reasons," Rep. Dunnam said. "Building and improving reliable corridors that connect our rural communities to urban areas is in everyone's best interest. But, we have to do that in a way that protects land owners and the environment that we rely so heavily on for agricultural prosperity. We have an incredibly difficult challenge in maintaining and improving our highway and rail systems, but I'm looking forward to doing the work necessary to repair and improve them."

The Committee on Environmental Regulation, holds jurisdiction over matters pertaining to air, land, and water pollution, including the environmental regulation of industrial development. Among the committee's other areas of responsibility, it has oversight of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

"The actions we will take on that committee have the potential to affect the overall health of our state's citizens and environment." Rep. Dunnam said. "As we consider bills, I will not only be thinking about today's environment, but I will especially be thinking about how our actions are going to affect future generations. As a parent, there is nothing more important to me than ensuring that we preserve our environment for future Texans."

Rep. Dunnam's committee assignments for the 81st Legislature allow him to continue working on issues in which he has previously taken a deep interest. His committee assignments are keenly important for the Central Texas area, and they will facilitate Rep. Dunnam's continued efforts to protect the public's health and safety and strengthen Central Texas' economic development.

For more information on committees or any other issue, Rep. Dunnam encourages interested individuals to contact his office at (512) 463-0508 or, toll free, at (866) 753-8546.