Rep. Westerman to Lead House Natural Resources GOP in 117th Congress

He succeeds outgoing Ranking Member Rob Bishop.

Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-AR), a conservationist and lone certified forester in Congress, will succeed outgoing House Natural Resources Ranking Member Rob Bishop when the 117th Congress begins in January.

Rep. Westerman issued this statement on Twitter upon news of his selection to the post:

Here’s more on his selection in The Hill:

Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) is slated to serve as the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee for the 117th Congress after being elected by the House Republican Steering Committee on Wednesday.

Westerman — a Yale forestry school graduate who describes himself as an “engineer and forester by trade” — edged out Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), the previous chair of the Western Caucus, for the ranking member position next year.

Lawmakers from Western states have typically held the top posts on the committee, though Westerman comes from a rural, natural resource-heavy district in Arkansas.

Westerman has emerged a leader on these issues, so it’s no surprise to see him at the helms.

His Biography

Here’s more about Congressman Westerman per his Congressional biography:

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman is a Hot Springs native currently serving his third term as representative from the Fourth District of Arkansas, having first been elected in 2014. Westerman serves on the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where he is Ranking Member of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. Westerman also serves on the Minority Whip Team under the leadership of House Minority Whip Steve Scalise.

Prior to serving in Congress, Westerman was elected to two terms in the Arkansas General Assembly, where he was the state’s first Republican House Majority Leader since Reconstruction following the 2013 GOP takeover of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

An engineer and forester by trade, Westerman worked for 22 years at Mid-South Engineering in Hot Springs. He was named Engineer of the Year by the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers in 2013.

A 1990 graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Westerman was a four-year walk-on member of the Razorback football team. He was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2005 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012. Westerman is also a graduate of Yale University, earning a Master of Forestry degree in 2001.

Westerman lives in Hot Springs with his wife, Sharon, and their four children. He enjoys hunting and fishing.

Related Links

Read my Townhall.com profile of Westerman’s efforts.

Listen to our conversation on District of Conservation.

WATCH on YouTube