NORFOLK — Newly-elected Congresswoman Elaine Luria will sit on the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.
Luria’s office announced the appointment Tuesday.
The former Navy commander represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District along the state’s coast. It is home to world’s largest Navy base in Norfolk and various other military installations in Virginia Beach and other cities.
The 2nd district includes Accomack and Northampton counties, portions of York County, and the cities of Virginia Beach and Williamsburg and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Hampton.
The committee oversees defense policy and military personnel, among other issues.
Luria graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and spent 20 years in the Navy.
Last fall, Luria defeated Republican Congressman Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL. He held the seat for one term.
During an interview with WYDaily’s sister publication, Southside Daily, following her victory, Luria said she viewed her election as a referendum on Taylor’s behavior and voting record — not necessarily on President Donald Trump.
More than anything, Luria said it was Taylor’s support of the 2017 tax bill and his ambivalence about providing health care to people with preexisting conditions that turned voters off.
“I think I could add value to the Armed Services Committee, with 20 years of service to the U.S. Navy,” Luria said. She also expressed interest in working with committees involved in transportation, appropriations, or sea-level rise resiliency efforts.
Luria was among the wave of Democrats who flipped congressional seats across the U.S. and regained control of the House of Representatives.
