COMMITTEE MAN

Vitter

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

With the swearing in of the 114th Congress, Vitter assumed chairmanship of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Founded in 1940 as the Special Committee to Study Problems of American Small Business, the committee oversees all legislation, petitions, and other matters relating to the Small Business Administration (SBA).

As chairman, Vitter "advocates for Louisiana's small businesses by shaping policy that will reinvigorate small business growth by freeing them from unnecessary impediments from the federal government." Just two weeks ago, on March , the Senate passed Vitter's "No Washington Exemption from ObamaCare" bill (S.16). The bill aims to plug a loophole in the Affordable Care Act that allows Congress to designate itself as a "small business" so members of Congress can procure a taxpayer-funded subsidy for ObamaCare.

Vitter has also used his position atop the committee to bolster his small business credentials back home in Louisiana. The very first committee hearing Vitter chaired this year was held - not in Washington, D.C., but in Bossier City, Louisiana. The last field hearing on April 2 was hosted in Lafayette, Louisiana, and the Small Business of the Week for the week of March 27 was Marucci Sports in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Committee on the Judiciary

The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, founded in 1816, is one of the original standing committees in the Senate. Its broad legislative jurisdiction has assured its primary role as a forum fro the public discussion of social and constitutional issues. The Committee also has oversight of key activities of the executive branch, and is responsible for the initial stages of the confirmation process of all judicial nominations for the federal judiciary. This Committee is in Vitter's area of expertise as he is a lawyer by profession. He traded a spot on the Armed Forces Committee for the more prestigious Judicial Committee. Announcing his appointment to this Committe, the Washington Times, a daily renowned for its extensive access to conservative politicians, wrote that "Vitter promised to use his position on the Judiciary Committee to launch attacks on the Obama administration's agenda." 

Vitter hasn't had to wait long. The Judiciary Committee has been preoccupied with hearings for Loretta Lynch, the President's nominee for Attorney General. Vitter has come out publicly to express his reservations to seeing Ms. Lynch as the next A-G. In his February 2015 Newsletter to supporters, Vitter wrote:

I've been working tirelessly to block . . . Loretta Lynch. Her record shows she's in lockstep with his illegal executive actions, especially in regard to amnesty for those who have unlawfully entered the country. Moreover, Ms. Lynch is suspected of playing a role in mega-bank HSBC's money-laundering scheme. She's simply unfit to be Attorney-General.

As can be gleaned from this statement, a hard-line stance toward Lynch's nomination allows Vitter to take positions on various issues. He gets to beef up on his anti-Obama Amnesty bona fides, even as he positions himself as an anti-corruption sheriff. This plays well back home in Louisiana where the President's immigration measure is wildly unpopular and where graft plagues the state government.

Committee on Environment and Public Works

First established in 1837 to oversee the construction of Federal buildings in the fledgling National capital, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works has seen its jurisdiction extend to cover legislation pertaining to the interstate highway system, flood control, air and water pollution, and endangered species.

Vitter has sought to use his seat on the Committee to push for more accountability by the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies. Louisiana has a bountiful ecosystem, especially in the Bayou region. Vitter has worked to protect the natural heritage of his state, while ensuring that regulation does not thwart business, state or local interests.

On March 10, 2015, Vitter partnered with Tom Udall (D-N.M.) to introduce The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act aimed at protecting "Americans from toxic chemicals by enacting common-sense and necessary reforms to update United States' ineffective, outdated chemical regulatory program."

Subcommittees: Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, Oversight, Transportation and Infrastructure.

Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

The U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs was established in 1913 to oversee issues including, but not limited to: banking, insurance, financial markets, securities, housing, urban development and mass transit, international trade and finance, and economic policy.

The Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee helps Vitter to blaze a populist streak on a number of issues, allowing him to follow in the tradition of great Louisiana populists such as Huey Long. Consider, for instance, Vitters op-ed piece in The Hill calling for a repeal of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act: "Dodd-Frank actually establishes a permanent mechanism for government help for large failed banks" to the chagrin of many in the investing public who saw their live savings disappear in the 2008 crash.

The Committee also enables Vitter to cater to the needs of the big metropolitan areas in the state, including New Orleans with a population of almost 400,000.

Subcommittees: Housing, Transportation and Community Development, and Securities, Insurance and Investment.