Kent Conrad

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., announced Friday that he has been appointed to several key Senate Finance Committee subcommittees that focus on tackling the nation’s deficit and spurring economic growth.

Conrad, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, was selected to lead the Taxation and Oversight subcommittee. He also was named to the Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth subcommittee, a new group created this year, and the Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure subcommittee.

In a written statement, Conrad said serving on these subcommittees “will allow me the best chance to help put our nation on a sustainable long-term fiscal path.”

“This goal will require both broad bipartisan recognition of the debt threat facing the country, and compromise to create a real solution,” he wrote.

Conrad has been chairman of the Senate Budget Committee since 2006. He also serves on the Indian Affairs and Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry committees, and is a newly appointed member of the Select Committee on Intelligence.