The Democratic Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 7 chose Eighth District Congressman James L. Oberstar to chair the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 110th Congress. ìI am pleased and humbled by this vote of confidence,î Oberstar said in a release. ìI look forward to the many challenges ahead for this committee and am ready to work with members on both sides of the aisle, and the administration, to move our agenda forward for the good of all the American people.î Widely regarded as one of the top experts on transportation in either House of Congress, Oberstar began his Congressional career in 1963 as an aide to his predecessor from Minnesota, Congressman John A. Blatnik. Blatnik was a member of what was then called the Committee on Public Works. Blatnik ascended to the chairmanship of the committee in 1971, and named Oberstar to head the committee staff. Oberstar chaired the Subcommittees on Economic Development, Investigations and Oversight, and Aviation in the 1980s and 1990s. After the Republicans won the House majority in 1994, Oberstar became the ranking Democratic member of the aviation subcommittee. He rose to the post of ranking Democratic member on what is now called the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure when Congressman Norman Y. Mineta of California retired in the fall of 1995.

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