Westerman To Serve On House Science Committee

Press Release

Fourth District Congressman-elect Bruce Westerman (R-Hot Springs) today announced his selection by the House Republican Steering Committee to serve on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for the 114th Congress.

"I thank the committee chair and leadership for approving my waiver request to serve on a third committee in the House," Westerman said. "I look forward to the opportunity to work for common sense, science-based solutions on issues that affect the ability of the private sector to create more jobs and rewarding careers, while pushing back against the overreach of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama Administration--especially proposed rules that would result in hundreds of Fourth District jobs disappearing, the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits, and higher energy rates for Arkansas families."

The committee is chaired by Rep. Lamar Smith (TX-21) and has jurisdiction over all energy research and development; environmental research and development, including EPA research and environmental standards; National Science Foundation; National Weather Service; science research and scholarships; astronautical research and development; outer space exploration and control, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"When I was a child, America was putting men on the Moon," Westerman said. "As part of the Science Committee, I am committed to rekindling the fire that landed us there and inspiring our children to go into science, technology, engineering, and math--innovative fields that benefit our nation and are a source of good paying jobs."

Westerman has also been named to the House Committees on Natural Resources and the Budget.

About Rep. Bruce Westerman

A lifelong resident of Garland County, Rep.-elect Bruce Westerman was elected the 20th representative of Arkansas's Fourth Congressional District in 2014.

Westerman was also Arkansas's first Republican House Majority Leader since Reconstruction and an architect of the House Republican SIMPLE Plan which led to the 2013 Republican takeover of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

An engineer and forester for 22 years at Mid-South Engineering in Hot Springs, Westerman is a registered professional engineer in Arkansas and six other states, and a registered forester in Arkansas. He holds a Master of Forestry degree (2001) from Yale University. In 2013, he was named Engineer of the Year by the Arkansas Society of Professional of Engineers.

Westerman graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from the Univesity of Arkansas in 1990. While at Arkansas, Westerman was a four-year walk-on member of the Razorback Football Team. He received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2005 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012.

Westerman is a former board member of the Fountain Lake School District and is a deacon at Walnut Valley Baptist Church. He lives in Hot Springs with his wife Sharon and their four children.

For more information on Rep. Bruce Westerman, please visit http://BruceWesterman.com and follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/RepWestermanand Facebook at http://facebook.com/RepWesterman.

Source