Freshman U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., announced two committee assignments this week.
Gimenez will serve on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I), insisting that the assignment will help his South Florida district.
“I am honored to have been selected to serve on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The work my colleagues and I will do in this committee over the course of the next Congress will have a meaningful impact on South Florida’s communities, helping to bolster and protect our airports, secure and expand our ports, and ensure better and more efficient mobility with improved highways, bridges, and mass transit systems,” Gimenez said.
“Not only does improving and safeguarding our infrastructure help accelerate economic growth and create good-paying jobs here in America, it helps strengthen defense of America’s national security. As Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I had a front-row seat to state-owned Chinese companies maneuvering to bid on contracts for pieces of infrastructure important to our communities and our nation. These efforts must be stopped, and we must protect America’s control over our critical infrastructure,” he added.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., who leads Republicans on the committee, said Gimenez’s service as mayor of Miami-Dade will help with his new assignment.
“Rep. Gimenez’s experience as Mayor of Miami-Dade County, which includes crucial transportation hubs such as Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami, will bring valuable insight to our committee. His background in working across the aisle to improve Miami-Dade’s infrastructure will be an asset to our efforts. I look forward to working with Rep. Gimenez on these important issues,” Graves said.
Gimenez was also named to the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.
“I am honored to be a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. From authorizing funds to hire more agents under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security to establishing grant opportunities for counterterrorism and anti-narcotics operations, the work we do in this committee is incredibly important to America’s national security. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues on this committee to bolster the Department’s efforts to counter grave threats against our nation from adversaries such as China. I thank Ranking Member John Katko, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Congressman Vern Buchanan, who serves as our Regional Chairman of the Steering Committee, for their recommendation to serve this important committee,” Gimenez said.
U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-NY, who leads Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee, welcomed Gimenez to his team.
“As mayor of Miami-Dade County, Carlos has worked to prevent state-owned Chinese companies from undermining American companies and interests. He will be a key leader in the committee’s work to combat authoritarian nation-state aggression, particularly from China, which has presented a strategic threat to our homeland for decades. I am thrilled to welcome Carlos to the Committee on Homeland Security and look forward to his leadership on holding China accountable for its nefarious actions,” Katko said.
Gimenez defeated then U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., in November. He represents all of Monroe County and parts of Mami-Dade. Earlier this month, U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., named Gimenez as an assistant whip.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
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