For more information on the Senate committee system, committee members and a schedule of this week's hearings click here . The committee system is the backbone of Congress.
Committees are where problems are explored and solutions advanced.
Committees are where members of Congress ask the hard questions and, when the system works right, come up with answers that produce common sense legislation. In the 107th Congress, I serve on four key committees that oversee commerce, small business, education, health care, intelligence and other issues critical to the people of North Carolina. A seat on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation provides me opportunities to encourage economic growth while protecting consumers. The panel has jurisdiction over legislation I championed to protect the privacy of Internet users. The Commerce Committee's broad scope includes matters affecting interstate commerce, communications, and transportation.