Rep.-elect John Katko has been appointed to become chairman of a subcommittee in the House of Representatives.
The Syracuse-area Republican will officially be sworn in tomorrow along with the rest of the freshman class of lawmakers. But not every newcomer to Congress gets to become a chairman.
Katko was already named to the House Homeland Security Committee, and now has been named the head of its Subcommittee on Transportation Security. The committee focuses on safety of passenger and baggage screening, surface transportation and transportation security regulations.
In a statement, Katko says that he was selected for the position because of issues of regional importance to his congressional district, and because of his background as a federal prosecutor.
In an interview on WRVO's “Campbell Conversations,” which was broadcast on Sunday, Katko said the committee's leadership thought his background could be an asset for the homeland security committee overall, particularly as it deals with one of the most controversial issues of the day.
“They really like the strengths I brought to the table with respect to experience on the border – in Texas, and Puerto Rico, and of course here in New York state,” said Katko. “But I think they want to use that to help formulate the immigration policy, right out of the gates.”
Katko beat Democrat Dan Maffei in November to represent the 24th Congressional District, which is made up of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne Counties, and a portion of Oswego County.
