Fletcher to serve on House committee

Freshman Rep. Lizzie Fletcher will sit on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, her office announced Thursday.

“I sought to serve on this committee because of its jurisdiction over issues of critical importance,” Fletcher, D-Houston, said.

Roads and pipelines crisscross the 7th Congressional District she represents, after defeating nineterm Republican incumbent John Culberson in November.

During the campaign, Fletcher asserted Houston needed new leadership to tackle critical community problems, such as flooding. She said the Republican focus on smaller government failed to invest in upgrades to Addicks and Barker dams, worsening the region’s flooding issues, among other delayed improvements.

Her appointment on the committee places her close to control of an issue where Culberson was decidedly on the other side: rail within the 7th District.

Culberson, a longtime opponent of light rail development by the Metropolitan Transit Authority, blocked funding via the appropriations committee of any Federal Transit Administration money to advance rail along Richmond Avenue or Post Oak Boulevard.

“I look forward to partnering with Metro, the county, and the cities in the region to help improve and expand our transportation and transit infrastructure, and to be an advocate for funding and improvement — not an adversary,” Fletcher said.

Other Texans on the transportation committee include Dallasarea Democrats Eddie Bernice Johnson and Colin Allred.

Republicans, who until this month controlled the House, also tapped Texans for the committee. Houston-area Reps. Brian Babin and Randy Weber also are members.