WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) today announced that Michael Beckerman, the panel’s Deputy Staff Director and a longtime Upton adviser since 2001, will depart the committee at the end of June. Beckerman joined the committee as Deputy Staff Director with the opening of the 112th Congress; prior to that, he served as Upton’s Policy Director since 2007, with a tenure on Capitol Hill that spans more than 12 years. Beckerman has been tapped to create a new Internet project based in D.C. Additional details about this new opportunity will be forthcoming.
Along with Beckerman’s departure, Upton announced a pair of staff transitions designed to ensure continuity in committee operations and maintain a staff framework that will drive the panel’s job-focused agenda. Alexa Marrero, who joined the committee staff as Communications Director in January 2011, has been named Deputy Staff Director. Sean Bonyun, currently Deputy Communications Director, becomes Communications Director for the committee.
“Michael Beckerman is a trusted adviser and confidant who helped set the tone and legislative agenda at the Energy and Commerce Committee when Republicans regained the majority," said Upton. “He has been a resource for our members, a liaison to our leadership team, and had a strong hand in advancing innovative, job-creating policies. His closest friends know him simply as Beckerman, and I’m glad to count myself among them. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor, and I extend my thanks for the many contributions he made to the Energy and Commerce Committee team."
“Committee staff are the backbone of the House’s legislative operations, and Michael Beckerman exemplifies the hard work and talent that has allowed the Energy and Commerce Committee to thrive. Like many members of the committee and the House, I have come to know him and trust his expertise over the years," said Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee and Chairman of the House Republican Leadership. “While his departure is a loss to the committee staff, it is certainly a gain for the new opportunities he pursues for the future."
“We began the 112th Congress with a strong team that has only grown stronger as we’ve hit our legislative stride," said Upton. “Since joining my staff at Energy and Commerce, Alexa has proven herself to be a smart and hardworking communicator and adviser whose contributions extend beyond messaging into numerous facets of the committee’s operations. I’m pleased to have her taking on this expanded role to advance the committee’s wide-ranging agenda."
“Sean has been a trusted member of my team for nearly a decade, and his move to the committee staff when I assumed the chairmanship was an essential part of our effort to prioritize communications and transparency," Upton continued. “I can’t think of anyone better suited to take the reins and continue driving a full-scale communications operation to inform the American people about our committee’s important work."
