Fresh off a sizable re-election victory last November, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) appears to be gaining in influence within the Senate Republican hierarchy. Vitter landed four key committee assignments as the GOP leadership finalized its rosters today – Small Business; Environment and Public Works; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and Armed Services. The committee assignments put Vitter in a strong position to drive public policy in Louisiana’s favor on several key issues.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to continue my service on each of these committees that have direct impact on issues of vital interest to Louisianians,” said Vitter.  “My increasing influence on the Environment and Public Works Committee will be particularly important as I work for critical water and coastal resources for Louisiana while continuing to fight to end the de facto moratorium and roll back EPA regulations that threaten to cripple our energy economy.”

“In addition to my work on the EPW Committee, I’m looking forward to continuing my service on the Armed Services Committee, which has significant implications for vital military installations at Barksdale, Ft. Polk and Belle Chasse,” said Vitter.  “Remaining on the Banking committee allows me to continue as a leading voice opposing any and all bailouts and pressing to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and prevent a repeat of the many mistakes that led to the financial crisis.”

Vitter’s committee assignments weren’t his only headlines of the day. He also announced that he’s co-sponsoring a pair of bills with freshman Sen. Rand Paul on two highly controversial issues – auditing the Fed and ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens.

The full GOP committee assignments, announced today, are as follows:

Appropriations

Thad Cochran, Miss.; Mitch McConnell, Ky.; Richard Shelby, Ala.; Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas; Lamar Alexander, Tenn.; Susan Collins, Maine; Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; Lindsey Graham, S.C.; Mark Kirk, Ill.; Dan Coats, Ind.; Roy Blunt, Mo.; Jerry Moran, Kan.; James Hoeven, N.D.; Ron Johnson, Wis.

Armed Services

John McCain, Ariz.; Jim Inhofe, Okla.; Jeff Sessions, Ala.; Saxby Chambliss, Ga.; Roger Wicker, Miss.; Scott Brown, Mass.; Rob Portman, Ohio; Kelly Ayotte, N.H.; Susan Collins, Maine; Lindsey Graham, S.C.; John Cornyn, Texas; David Vitter, La.

Finance

Chuck Grassley, Iowa; Orrin Hatch, Utah; Olympia Snowe, Maine; Jon Kyl, Ariz.; Mike Crapo, Idaho; Pat Roberts, Kan.; John Ensign, Nev.; Mike Enzi, Wyo.; John Cornyn, Texas; Tom Coburn, Okla.; John Thune, S.D.

Foreign Relations

Richard Lugar, Ind.; Bob Corker, Tenn.; Jim Risch, Idaho; Marco Rubio, Fla.; Jim Inhofe, Okla.; Jim DeMint, S.C.; Johnny Isakson, Ga.; John Barrasso, Wyo.; Mike Lee, Utah

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.; Richard Lugar, Ind.; Thad Cochran, Miss.; Mitch McConnell, Ky.; Pat Roberts, Kan.; Mike Johanns, Neb.; John Boozman, Ark.; Chuck Grassley, Iowa; John Thune, S.D.; John Hoeven, N.D.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Richard Shelby, Ala.; Mike Crapo, Idaho; Bob Corker, Tenn.; Jim DeMint, S.C.; David Vitter, La.; Mike Johanns, Neb.; Pat Toomey, Penn.; Mark Kirk, Ill.; Jerry Moran, Kan.; Roger Wicker, Miss.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas; Olympia Snowe, Maine; John Ensign, Nev.; Jim DeMint, S.C.; John Thune, S.D.; Roger Wicker, Miss.; Johnny Isakson, Ga.; Roy Blunt, Mo.; John Boozman, Ark.; Pat Toomey, Penn.; Marco Rubio, Fla.; Kelly Ayotte, N.H.

Energy and Natural Resources

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; Richard Burr, N.C.; John Barrasso, Wyo.; Jim Risch, Idaho; Mike Lee, Utah; Rand Paul, Ky.; Dan Coats, Ind.; Rob Portman, Ohio; John Hoeven, N.D.; Bob Corker, Tenn.

Environment and Public Works

Jim Inhofe, Okla.; David Vitter, La.; John Barrasso, Wyo.; Jeff Sessions, Ala.; Mike Crapo, Idaho; Lamar Alexander, Tenn.; Mike Johanns, Neb.; John Boozman, Ark.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Susan Collins, Maine; Tom Coburn, Okla.; Scott Brown, Mass.; John McCain, Ariz.; Ron Johnson, Wis.; John Ensign, Nev.; Rob Portman, Ohio; Rand Paul, Ky.

Judiciary

Jeff Sessions, Ala.; Orrin Hatch, Utah; Chuck Grassley, Iowa; Jon Kyl, Ariz.; Lindsey Graham, S.C.; John Cornyn, Texas; Mike Lee, Utah; Tom Coburn, Okla.

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Mike Enzi, Wyo.; Lamar Alexander, Tenn.; Richard Burr, N.C.; Johnny Isakson, Ga.; Rand Paul, Ky.; Orrin Hatch, Utah; John McCain, Ariz.; Pat Roberts, Kan.; Lisa Murkowski, Ala.; Mark Kirk, Ill.

Aging

Bob Corker, Tenn.; Susan Collins, Maine; Orrin Hatch, Utah; Mark Kirk, Ill.; Jerry Moran, Kan.; Ron Johnson, Wis.; Kelly Ayotte, N.H.; Richard Shelby, Ala.; Lindsey Graham, S.C.; Saxby Chambliss, Ga.

Budget

Chuck Grassley, Iowa; Mike Enzi, Wyo.; Jeff Sessions, Ala.; Mike Crapo, Idaho; John Ensign, Nev.; John Cornyn, Texas; Lindsey Graham, S.C.; John Thune, S.D.; Rob Portman, Ohio; Pat Toomey, Penn.; Ron Johnson, Wis.

Ethics

Johnny Isakson, Ga.; Pat Roberts, Kan.; Jim Risch, Idaho

Indian Affairs

John Barrasso, Wyo.; John McCain, Ariz.; Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; John Hoeven, N.D.; Mike Crapo, Idaho; Mike Johanns, Neb.

Intelligence

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.; Olympia Snowe, Maine; Richard Burr, N.C.; Jim Risch, Idaho; Dan Coats, Ind.; Roy Blunt, Mo.; Marco Rubio, Fla.

Joint Economic Committee

Jim DeMint, S.C.; Dan Coats, Ind.; Mike Lee, Utah; Pat Toomey, Penn.

Rules and Administration

Mitch McConnell, Ky.; Thad Cochran, Miss.; Saxby Chambliss, Ga.; Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas; Lamar Alexander, Tenn.; Pat Roberts, Kan.; Richard Shelby, Ala.; Roy Blunt, Mo.

Small Business

Olympia Snowe, Maine; David Vitter, La.; Jim Risch, Idaho; Marco Rubio, Fla.; Rand Paul, Ky.; Kelly Ayotte, N.H.; Mike Enzi, Wyo.; Scott Brown, Mass.; Jerry Moran, Kan.

Veterans Affairs

Richard Burr, N.C.; Johnny Isakson, Ga.; Roger Wicker, Miss.; Mike Johanns, Neb.; Scott Brown, Mass.; Jerry Moran, Kan.; John Boozman, Ark.