Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), will replace John Mica (R-Fla.) at the top post of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at the beginning of the 113th Congress in January.

The House Republican Conference made the announcement that it had selected Shuster, who has served on the committee since coming to Congress in 2001, on Nov. 28.

Shuster has previously served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Mica, who will begin his 11th term in Congress in January, is being forced to step down because of term limits imposed by Congress during the 1990s. He had signaled that he would like to remain in the post, but the Republican Conference voted the week of Nov. 19 to hold to the term limit.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said, “In Bill Shuster, House Republicans have selected a strong conservative leader with a record of reform and a proven commitment to strengthening our nation’s infrastructure.”

In a statement, Shuster said, “Working together in the 113th Congress, the Committee will focus on strengthening America’s transportation networks to make us more efficient, more competitive, and more prosperous.”

Jeff Shoaf, senior executive director  of government affairs for the Associated General Contractors of America, says he thinks Shuster is “extremely organized and extremely focused.” Shoaf adds that Shuster worked “very closely with Mica on MAP-21” and worked hard to sell the bill to colleagues.

In a Nov. 26 letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Mica said he “accepted” the Republican Conference decision not to grant waivers for term-limited chairmen, with the exception of Rep. Paul Ryan, who will hold on to his post as Budget Committee Chairman. Mica also endorsed Shuster to be the next chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.