Leadership in the 115th Congress

A combination of events will spell changes to the leadership of both parties in both Chambers in the 115th Congress. In the Senate, the retirement of Democratic Leader (NV) and the ascension of Sen. (NY) to that position creates an opening in the leadership hierarchy. This open slot and the potential for a race for the Democratic position between Sens. (IL) and (WA) have the potential to reshape much of the leadership team in the Senate. The presumptive has also indicated a potential for a broader rearrangement of the party’s leadership organization. Despite their electoral losses, it does not appear that the Senate Republican Conference will see major changes in the next Congress.

On the House side, the GOP’s leadership races are the largest source of potential intrigue. Continuing a theme that has repeated itself over the last few years, the conservative Freedom may attempt to run one or more of its Members for elected leadership positions in the next Congress. The House GOP Conference is currently slated to hold it’s internal leadership elections on November 15th. It is unclear if any of these seats will be contested. Additionally, a number of Members of the Conference are pushing to delay these elections until later in the year.

Of most importance is the ’s gavel. Though the House Republicans will vote on their party’s designee for Speaker during the party elections, the actual vote on the House Floor will not occur until January 2017. Some of the Chamber’s more conservative members may withhold their Floor votes for Ryan pending his actions as Speaker during this year’s lame duck session.

US Senate

Senate Majority Leadership Senate Minority Leadership

Majority Leader: Mitch McConnell (KY) : Charles Schumer (NY)

Majority Whip: (TX) Minority Whip: Richard Durbin (IL) or Patty Murray (WA) Conference Chair: (SD) Conference Chair: Patty Murray (WA) or Conference Vice Chair: (MO) Sen. (MI) Policy Committee Chair: (WY) Caucus Secretary: Patty Murray (WA) or National Republican Senatorial Committee Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI) Chair: (CO) or Thom Tills (NC) Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: (NJ), (DE), (MN)

US House of Representatives

House Majority Leadership House Minority Leadership

Speaker: (WI) Minority Leader: (CA)

Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (CA) Minority Whip: (MD)

Majority Whip: (LA) Asst. Democratic Leader: James Clyburn (SC) Chief Deputy Whip: Patrick McHenry (NC) : Joe Crowley (NY) Conference Chair: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA) Caucus Vice Chair: Linda Sanchez (CA)

Conference Vice Chair: Jim Jordan (OH) or an Democratic Congressional Campaign alternate Member Committee Chair: Ben Ray Lujan (NM)

Conference Secretary: Jim Jordan (OH) or an Steering and Policy Committee Chair: alternate Freedom Caucus Member Rosa DeLauro (CT)

National Republican Congressional Committee: (OH) or Roger Williams (TX)

Republican Policy Committee Chair: Rep Luke Messer (IN)

Republican Study Committee Chair: (MD) or Mark Walker (NC)

US Senate Committee Leadership

Republicans will maintain their majority in the Senate and their gavels as Committee Chairs. Retirements and term limits mean the 115th Congress will see a number of new Chairs and Ranking Members. Most notably, Sen. is term-limited as Chair of Banking and Sen. is similarly positioned at the Environment and Public Works Committee.

On the Democratic side, the retirement of Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski sets up a cascade effect that will impact the top spot on several Committees.

115th Senate Chairman Ranking Member Committee Predictions

Agriculture (KS) Debbie Stabenow (MI)

Appropriations (MS) Pat Leahy (VT), Dick Durbin (IL), Patty Murray (WA)

Armed Services John McCain (AZ) Jack Reed (RI)

Budget Mike Enzi (WY) (RI) or (VT)

Banking, Housing and (ID) (OH) Urban Affairs

Commerce, Science and John Thune (R-SD) (FL) Transportation

Energy and Natural (AK) (WA) Resources

Environment and Public Sen. John Barrasso (DE) Works (EPW) (WY)

Finance (UT) (OR)

Foreign Relations (TN) Robert Menendez (NJ) Health, Education, Patty Murray (WA) or Bernie Sanders (VT) Labor, and Pensions (TN)

Homeland Security and Ron Johnson (WI) Claire McCaskill (MO) Governmental Affairs

Indian Affairs (ND) (MT)

Judiciary (IA) (VT) OR Dick Durbin (IL)

Rules and Roy Blunt (MO) or Dick Durbin (IL) or Tom Udall (NM) Administration Richard Shelby (AL)

Special Aging (ME) Bob Casey( PA)

Select Intelligence (NC) (CA)

Small Business and James Risch (ID) (NH) Entrepreneurship

Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Isakson (GA) (CT)

U.S. House of Representative Committee Leadership

Retirements among many senior Members of the Republican Conference will create a number of vacancies in the leadership of key Committees in the 115th Congress. The retirements of Education and Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (MN) and House Administration Committee Chairwoman Candice Miller (MI) create openings at the top of those Committees, but it does not appear that any of these races will be contested. The most closely watched race is that for the gavel of the Energy and Commerce Committee. In addition, Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Jeff Miller (FL) is retiring, and several Members will vie for that gavel.

On the Democratic side of the aisle, Rep. ’s (MD) Senate victory and the decision of Rep. (FL) to step down as Ranking Member of Veterans Affairs have created two openings for the top spot on those Committees. (KY) appears poised to take the Budget gavel and the Veteran’s Affairs Ranking Member position appears to be a race between Reps. Tim Walz (MN) and (CA).

115th House Chairman Ranking Member Committee Predictions Agriculture Michael Conaway (TX) Collin Peterson (MN)

Appropriations Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ) (NY)

Armed Services (TX) (WA)

Budget Tom Price (GA) John Yarmuth (KY)

Education and the (NC) Bobby Scott (VA) Workforce

Energy and Commerce John Shimkus (IL) or (NJ) (OR)

Ethics Charlie Dent (PA) Linda Sancehz (CA)

Financial Services (TX) (CA)

Foreign Affairs (CA) (NY)

Homeland Security Mike McCaul (TX) (MS)

House Administration (MS) Robert Brady (PA)

Intelligence (CA (CA)

Judiciary (VA) (MI)

Natural Resources Rob Bishop (UT) Peter DeFazio (OR)

Oversight and Jason Chaffetz (UT) (MD) Government Reform

Rules (TX) (NY)

Science, Space and (TX) Technology (TX)

Small Business (OH) Nydia Velazquez (NY)

Transportation and (PA) Peter DeFazio (OR) Infrastructure Veterans’ Affairs ( (TN) Mark Takano (CA) or Tim Walz (MN)

Ways and Means (TX) (MI)