The following article is from the February 2007 issue of
Newly elected U.S. Representative Michael Arcuri [1](D-24th District) was appointed to serve on major House subcommittees of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee [2]. The subcommittees include: Economic Development; Public Buildings and Emergency Management; Water Resources and Environment; and Highways and Transit.
In a statement about his assignments [3], Arcuri said, "The committee's legislative priorities will help provide the resources we urgently need to improve our highways, prevent flooding, and develop infrastructure to create more jobs." Arcuri's assignments are a good fit for Central New York, as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee [4]will focus on a host of initiatives that will impact residents. These include reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act, which deals with all major water and flood control projects; reauthorization of the State Revolving Fund under the Clean Water Act; transit and rail security; and global climate change.
In his first major environmental action [5], Arcuri sponsored and voted for the CLEAN Energy Act (H.R.6 [6]), which would increase federal investment in renewable energy, while repealing subsidies to big oil companies. He is also co-sponsor of H.R. 670 [7] (introduced by New York's Eliot Engel) to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil through alternative fuels and new vehicle technologies. Arcuri has also laid out his list of concerns [8] for Central New York, touching upon flooding and water management issues for the region.