Earlier this year, when the Democrats took control of Congress, Pallone was chosen to Chair the powerful Subcommittee on Health of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

In this new position, Pallone is already working to strengthen the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), known as FamilyCare here in New Jersey. He is leading the way to cover almost every child who is currently eligible for the program. Pallone also advocates the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid, and the protection of Social Security.

Over the years, he has cleaned up New Jersey's beaches by stopping ocean dumping off the shore and expedited the clean up of industrial and toxic waste sites around the state by authoring a federal brownfields law and exposing funding shortages that threatened superfund cleanups.

In Washington, Pallone has been successful on environmental and healthcare issues thanks partly to his service as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which plays a leading role in crafting legislation in both of these areas. He also serves as a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, where he focuses on the policies concerning fisheries and oceans.

Pallone also leads Democratic efforts to craft and implement the party's message in the House as the Communications Chair of the Democratic Policy Committee. In this appointed position, he works with his colleagues at getting the Democratic message out on issues of concern to all New Jerseyans, including how to expand our economy, secure our homeland and address the war in Iraq.