Senator Kelly currently serves on five different Senate committees. He is a strong advocate for Arizona’s priorities in each of his committee roles, which cover a large range of policy areas important to our state, from national security to infrastructure to the economy.
Strengthening our national security — and Arizona’s role in it — is the focus of Senator Kelly’s work on the Armed Services Committee. He continues the legacy of Arizona Senators, like John McCain and Barry Goldwater, advocating for the state’s defense community and seven military bases on the committee. Senator Kelly also serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, where he leads efforts to maintain our competitive edge over adversaries like China and Russia.
He played a key role in passing the most recent annual defense bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Senator Kelly successfully protected A-10s at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, authorized key infrastructure upgrades at Luke Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, and other Arizona installations, and secured the passage of his Brandon Act to address military suicides.
In addition to supporting current servicemembers, Senator Kelly has been a strong advocate for Arizona’s veterans. He has helped lead a bipartisan push to improve accountability and transparency at the VA. Senator Kelly’s Veterans and Defense Advisory Groups regularly provide him with feedback and updates on matters related to the state’s defense and veterans communities.
Senator Kelly’s priorities on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee include combating western drought, securing Arizona’s water future, partnering with Tribal Nations, advancing American energy independence, improving wildfire preparedness, supporting Arizona’s tribal communities, and protecting public lands.
As a member of the working group that shaped the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Kelly played a key leadership role in securing major resources for western water systems and wildfire prevention. He partnered with Tribal Nations to fully fund Arizona tribal water settlements. Senator Kelly also chaired a Senate hearing in October 2021 on western drought conditions after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation issued new water level projections for Lake Mead and Lake Powell that triggered the first-ever drought restrictions on the Colorado River.
On the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Kelly works on issues that include strengthening Arizona’s roads and bridges, increasing access to clean drinking water, protecting the environment and supporting rural economic development efforts.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that he helped negotiate is fixing roads and bridges in Arizona as well as expanding public transit. He also secured key resources to clean up harmful PFAS contaminants and improve the supply of clean, reliable drinking water for all Arizonans.
Supporting older Arizonans is Senator Kelly’s priority on the Aging Committee. He helped negotiate a major deal in the Senate to lower the prices of prescription drugs and reduce out-of-pocket costs for seniors. In April, Senator Kelly hosted an Aging Committee hearing in Phoenix, which helped bring Washington’s attention to how high prescription drug prices impact Arizona seniors and families.
Senator Kelly has also worked throughout the pandemic to increase access to essential senior services, such as meal delivery, caregiver support, and vaccine outreach. He regularly receives input from his Senior Citizens Advisory Group, made up of leading advocates from across the state who advise him on issues facing Arizona seniors.
Senator Kelly’s work on the Joint Economic Committee involves strengthening our economy. His top economic priorities include creating high-paying jobs, cutting taxes and lowering costs for working families, addressing our supply chain challenges, boosting domestic microchip production, supporting small businesses, and bolstering Arizona’s workforce.
Senator Kelly has focused on lowering costs for Arizona families by tackling supply chain issues driving up prices for gas, groceries, and basic goods. His bipartisan plan to invest in domestic microchip production, which passed the Senate, will grow Arizona as a hub for microchip manufacturing, creating high-paying local jobs and strengthening our national security. As Senator Kelly leads efforts to bring new jobs to the state, he’s also working to strengthen workforce training programs that provide Arizonans with the skills they’ll need for the jobs of the 21st century.
