Amodei joins natural resources committee in House

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., was named Wednesday to the House Natural Resources Committee, filling his assignments for this session of Congress.

The House newcomer, who won a Sept. 13 special election, earlier was placed on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

The Natural Resources Committee handles public lands, mining, Native American, water and wildlife issues central to the 2nd Congressional District, where Amodei is running for a full term. He campaigned on a platform to open more public land to development.

"When you come from a district that is 85 percent owned by the federal government, I was thankful for the recognition of that," Amodei said of the appointment.

To create room on the 48-member committee, GOP leaders bumped freshman Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee. An announcement was delayed by the time it took to smooth the move with the Tennesseean, congressional sources said.

"When I met him, I said, 'Listen, if you need your car washed or your lawn mowed, you just let me know,' " Amodei said of Fleischmann. "I was gratified and humbled he was willing to step aside."