The House Democratic Conference selected Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09) to serve as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in the 116th Congress on Jan. 4.

“This is an extremely challenging time for our country and the world,” Smith said in a statement. “We are in dire need of oversight from Congress and principled, coherent thinking on U.S. national defense strategy. The Armed Services Committee has a long track record of working in a bipartisan manner to advance U.S. national security policy, and I look forward to working with Ranking Member Thornberry to make that happen.”

Smith won re-election in November 2018. He has served on the House Armed Services Committee since his election to the House of Representatives in 1997, and was the committee’s ranking member beginning in 2015.

Democrats reclaimed the House majority after the midterm elections, and many are ascending to chairmanships in various committees.

“As chairman, I will work with my colleagues to promote transparency and congressional oversight, enhance military readiness, combat inefficiency and waste at the Department of Defense, advance green technology in defense and address the threat climate change poses to our national security, fight for an inclusive military, and move towards a responsible approach to nuclear weapons,” Smith said in the press release.

Go online to www.adamsmith.house.gov for more.