Wilson Named to House-Senate Conference on National Defense Authorization

Today, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC, was appointed by the Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-IL, to the House-Senate conference committee on national defense authorization for fiscal year 2003."I'm pleased to appoint Joe as a conferee, as he has been a an outspoken leader on military and education issues. I believe he will do a wonderful job," said Speaker Hastert.Conferees are chosen by the Speaker of the House and approved by a full House vote. The chief responsibility of the conference committee is to resolve differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions of the Department of Defense Authorization bill. Rep. Wilson has been appointed to focus on education issues, as he is a member of both the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce."Joe Wilson has been an outstanding advocate of education, and as he still currently serves in the military as a Colonel in the National Guard and is the father of three sons in the military, he will be perfectly-suited to fight for the education provisions in the military authorization bill," said Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner, R-OH."As a freshman member of the House, I am especially honored that the Speaker has given me this extraordinary opportunity to help secure the future of our nation's military during this time of war," said Rep. Wilson.###