HARRISBURG — U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, a Republican from outside Altoona, will become the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a powerful position that could put Pennsylvania’s interests out front in federal highway spending and policy.

The committee also deals with legislation covering pipelines, ports, river barges, mass transit and rail, all issues that are of prime importance in Pennsylvania, a state whose infrastructure is aging.

Perhaps Shuster’s biggest challenge will be to figure out how to find money for a six-year highway funding bill when the trust fund is virtually empty.

“The $500 billion or $600 billion question is how do you pay for it?” Shuster told reporters Wednesday after the House Republican conference voted to name Shuster and other committee chairmen for the 2013-14 session beginning in January.

No Pennsylvania House member currently chairs a full committee, and Shuster’s elevation gives Pennsylvania its most influential voice in the U.S. House since Jack Murtha died in 2010.

Shuster currently chairs the subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. Shuster’s father, Bud, chaired the transportation committee from 1995 to 2001, and was well known for ensuring that Pennsylvania received substantially more in federal highway funding than it sent to Washington in gas taxes.

That premium has all but disappeared, as have the earmarks that members of Congress were able to win to direct toward favored highway or bridge projects. Still, Shuster’s position is important for the state.

“You will find that wielding the gavel generally winds up helping the home state of the chair,” said John Horsely, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Shuster, 52, won election earlier this month to a seventh term representing the 9th Congressional District stretching from south-central to southwestern Pennsylvania. He is passionate about transportation policy, and fluent in the issues, perhaps helping him to leap over eight more senior Republicans, by his count, on the committee to win the chairmanship.

Barry Schoch, Pennsylvania’s transportation secretary, said Shuster has energy and character and the ability to communicate effectively and build consensus.