As many of you know he is the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and a senior member of both the Senate Committee on Agriculture that he once chaired and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is charged with the administration and operation of the Senate. We have a staff member assigned to assist the Senator with his work on this committee. The Agriculture Committee has oversight over the vast number of agricultural programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and related agencies here we have two staff members assigned to assist the Senator with his work in this committee.
Agriculture is a large component of our state's economy.
The Senator has a committee staff by virtue of being the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As chairman he has 18 people that assist him in running the committee. The committee staff has specialists for each geographic region of the world that advise the Senator on foreign policy legislation and oversight over the Department of State and other foreign policy agencies of the Executive Branch. All treaties submitted to the Senate must go through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. All ambassadorial and State Department nominations must go through his committee.