The Illinois Congressman is selected as chairman of the Oversight subcommittee on economic and consumer policy.
As Indian Americans continue to make news with their political influence, there is more good news from the Capitol Hill.
Illinois Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi today was named Chairman of the House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. This new role makes the congressman the first ever member of South Asian descent to chair a congressional committee or subcommittee.
The leadership role gives Krishnamoorthi, who is serving his second term in Congress, jurisdiction over important pocketbook issues such as education, workforce development, income inequality, health care, consumer protection and data privacy.
“I am honored and privileged to become the first ever South Asian-American to serve as a chair in Congress,” Krishnamoorhti said after the announcement. “As a child, I had the opportunity to see my parents work hard to achieve the American Dream of a middle-class life. As Chairman, I will use my role on this subcommittee to grow and strengthen the middle class so that all Americans can have the same opportunities my family did.”
Just last week, Krishnamoorthi was appointed to as the member of a key US House committee handling intelligence-related issues.
Krishnamoorthi was first elected to Congress from Illinois’ 6th district in 2016. Last year, he was re-elected with a comfortable margin.
In an interview just before the midterm election last November, he told the American Bazaar that if his party captured power, it will investigate “ethical lapses” and “self-dealing corruption” and “do our part to make sure that the government is running” and restore people’s trust in government.
READ MORE:
Bera, Khanna, Jayapal and Krishnamoorthi re-relected; Big night for Indian American candidates (November 7, 2018)
Indian American Raja Krishnamoorthi asks to withhold his salary during government shutdown (January 8, 2019)