Rick Scott gets Senate budget committee seat

Florida’s incoming U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has grabbed a seat on the powerful Senate Committee on the Budget for the 116th Congress.

Scott, a Republican, also will be serving on three committees that currently are home to outgoing Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, the Armed Services Committee, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging.

Scott also picked up a seat on the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.

Lost to Florida in the shuffle between Nelson’s departure and Scott’s entry next month is the Senate Committee on Finance, which Nelson will be leaving.

“I am excited to focus on continuing to promote economic growth and lowering taxes, improving transparency and accountability in government spending, supporting veterans, military members and their families and investing in the safety and security of our nation,” Scott stated in a news release issued by his transition committee. “I will build on the success we’ve had in Florida over the last eight years to ensure that every person in our state has the opportunity to get a quality education, a great job and raise a family in one of the safest states in the nation.”

On the Senate Budget Committee, Nelson will serve under Chairman Mike Enzi of Washington, giving Scott the opportunity to transition his executive budgeting background into the legislative process.

The Commerce Committee also includes the Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness, a panel on which Nelson has been ranking member, pushing for support for NASA, Kennedy Space Center, and commercial space. Appointments to that subcommittee will be announced in January.