By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON--Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., was named to the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday, an assignment the freshman lawmaker had sought since being sworn in December.
“We have five bases. Twenty percent the folks in the district are military or retired military personnel, so it’s critical to meet the needs of the district,” Wittman said.
He received the assignment after Republican Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan departed the military committee in exchange for a seat on the House Homeland Security Committee.
“From day one we were emphatic with (Republican) leadership that we wanted to be on this committee," said Wittman, “To the point of being a pest.”
Wittman gives up a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to gain the new assignment. He will serve on the seapower and readiness subcommittees.
Wittman said he plans to read up on the defense budget process -- a major responsibility of his new committee -- and meet with the leaders of each branch of the military.
As the lowest-ranking member of the 66-member committee, Wittman is one of only four members seated separate from the tiered rows that accommodate other committee members.
“I’ll be very close to the speakers,” he said with a laugh about his front-row seat, which is roughly ten feet from the committee’s witness table. On his first day on the committee, Wittman heard budget testimony from the Navy regarding its Pacific Command.
Wittman’s appointment continues a 31-year string of Virginia’s first district representative serving on the Armed Services Committee.
“We have five bases. Twenty percent the folks in the district are military or retired military personnel, so it’s critical to meet the needs of the district,” Wittman said.
He received the assignment after Republican Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan departed the military committee in exchange for a seat on the House Homeland Security Committee.
“From day one we were emphatic with (Republican) leadership that we wanted to be on this committee," said Wittman, “To the point of being a pest.”
Wittman gives up a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to gain the new assignment. He will serve on the seapower and readiness subcommittees.
Wittman said he plans to read up on the defense budget process -- a major responsibility of his new committee -- and meet with the leaders of each branch of the military.
As the lowest-ranking member of the 66-member committee, Wittman is one of only four members seated separate from the tiered rows that accommodate other committee members.
“I’ll be very close to the speakers,” he said with a laugh about his front-row seat, which is roughly ten feet from the committee’s witness table. On his first day on the committee, Wittman heard budget testimony from the Navy regarding its Pacific Command.
Wittman’s appointment continues a 31-year string of Virginia’s first district representative serving on the Armed Services Committee.