By John Mulligan
Providence Journal Washington bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. James R. Langevin was named Thursday to become chairman of a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee that is responsible for the nation's strategic missiles and related forces.

Langevin will replace the departing Rep. Ellen Tauscher, a California Democrat, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. President Obama recent named Tauscher to be Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

Rhode Island Democrat Langevin is a longtime member of the full Armed Services Committee. This will be his first chairmanship of a subcommittee on the panel. He previously had served as chairman of a subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee.

"It is an honor to be chosen by my colleagues to continue the great work of my colleague Ellen Tauscher," said Langevin in a statement. "I look forward to addressing the critical national security issues facing the subcommittee, from nuclear non-proliferation efforts to our space and missile defense programs."

The Strategic Forces Subcommittee has jurisdiction over ballistic missile defense including the National Missile Defense shield; the Department of Energy's defense capabilities and all nuclear weapons; space programs; and intelligence policy and national programs including the Defense Intelligence Agency