The 114th Congress is convening with new leaders in charge of key committees on Capitol Hill, but those leaders are familiar faces with a background in aviation issues.

In the new Republican-controlled Senate, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) is taking the helm of the Commerce Committee, which steers aviation matters. Thune had been the committee’s ranking Republican since 2013, working alongside chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.).

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who was one of the featured speakers at the most recent NBAA Convention, has stepped up to replace Rockefeller as the top Democrat on the Commerce Committee. Rockefeller retired last year after serving 30 years in the Senate and five as chairman of the Commerce Committee.

Thune, a Senate General Aviation Caucus member, was the 2012 recipient of AOPA’s 2012 Doc Hartranft Jr. Award for his “tireless work on behalf of general aviation in Congress.” Nelson also has pushed a number of key general aviation measures, including authoring an amendment to block user fees.

“It’s good to know that we have two senators who possess an understanding of the importance of business aviation and the issues our industry faces at the helm in Commerce,” said Dick Doubrava, NBAA vice president for government affairs.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) slides over to the chairman position on the commerce subcommittee on aviation operations, safety and security. She had been the ranking Republican of the committee in the 113th Congress, working with then-chairman Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Cantwell is now among the most senior Democrats in the Senate and on the Senate Commerce Committee.

Ayotte has been focused on ATC modernization, which she said “is vital to New Hampshire’s general aviation operators and businesses, airports, aviation suppliers and small businesses.” Both Ayotte and Cantwell are GA Caucus members.

Fewer leadership changes were made in the House, where the Republicans retained control. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) has become the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I), taking over for the former ranking Democrat Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.). Rahall lost his election in November.

DeFazio, one of the more outspoken members of the committee, has served on the committee since 1987 and has chaired or served as ranking member of four of its six subcommittees, including aviation.

He will work with Rep. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), who returns as chairman of T&I. Like Thune and Nelson, DeFazio and Shuster were praised as staunch supporters of business aviation and members of the House GA Caucus. “They understand the importance of business aviation to the national economy and the need to update and strengthen our aviation infrastructure,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.

As for the aviation subcommittee, Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) remains chairman and Rick Larsen (D-Wash) the ranking minority member.

In addition to setting the leadership, the House Republicans have named 12 members to the committee. They include Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), who has championed the third-class medical exemption effort. The Democrats added two members.