Potential House Committee Leaders in the 115th Congress October Edition 2 Potential House Committee Leaders in the 115th Congress • This deck outlines potential changes to House chairmen and ranking members in the 115th Congress, which convenes in January • Some changes will occur as a result of retirements and election outcomes • Term limits will also force changes on some committees – Republicans can serve three Congresses, or six years total, as chairman and ranking member – Democrats don’t impose term limits • In the following slides, you’ll see: – A breakdown of major committees that could have new leaders after Nov. 8 – The candidates for chairman and ranking member under a slimmer Republican majority – How movement on one committee could mean changes for others 3 Democrats would need a huge wave to retake the house • While Democrats are poised to gain seats, winning the 30 seats needed for a majority is unlikely. 4 Appropriations: Rogers’ term limit creates opportunity for Republicans • Republicans: Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) is term limited and will seek the top spot on the panel’s Defense Subcommittee. He’ll probably be succeeded by current Defense Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) or Ag-FDA Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.). Frelinghuysen Lowey • Democrats: Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) will probably retain her position as ranking member. Other notes: Rogers would face off against Kay Granger • (R-Texas) for the Defense Subcommittee. Aderholt Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Current Hal Rogers (Ky.) Nita Lowey (N.Y.) 115th Congress Rodney Frelinghuysen (N.J.) or Lowey Robert Aderholt (Ala.) Photo credits: House portraits Sources: Yarmuth Sets Sights on Succeeding Van Hollen on Budget; Buzz Builds on Becerra’s Future Plans; House Gavel Switch: Yarmuth Eyes Budget Tool for Immigration 5 Budget: Van Hollen will be replaced as ranking member • Republicans: Tom Price (R-Ga.) will probably remain as chairman. • Democrats: Ranking member Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is running for Senate. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) is the most senior after Van Hollen, and has stood in while Van Hollen campaigned. He’s expressed interest in the Price position to colleagues. • Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) is term limited as House Democratic Caucus Committee chairman. He’s expressed interest in working on committees that deal with fiscal and economic policy. He is not currently on the panel but could still be named to the position. Yarmuth Becerra Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Current Tom Price (Ga.) Chris Van Hollen (Md.) 115th Congress Price John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) Photo credits: House portraits Sources: Yarmuth Sets Sights on Succeeding Van Hollen on Budget; Buzz Builds on Becerra’s Future Plans 6 Education & the Workforce: Kline’s retirement paves a path for Foxx • Republicans: Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is slated to take the gavel after John Kline (R-Minn.) retires. • Democrats: Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.) will probably retain his post if he remains in the House. Scott has been named as a potential replacement for Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) if Kaine becomes vice president. Foxx Scott Contenders to replace Scott if he is appointed to the Senate include Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Susan Davis (D-Calif.), and Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio). • Other notes: Senior Democrat Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) told Bloomberg BNA he wouldn’t seek Scott’s position. Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Current John Kline (Minn.) Bobby Scott (Va.) 115th Congress Virginia Foxx (N.C.) Scott, Joe Courtney (Conn.), Susan Davis (Calif.), or Marcia Fudge (Ohio) Photo credits: House portraits Sources: Rep. Davis Interested in Labor Committee's Top Democrat Spot; Changes Ahead for Labor Committee Leadership? 7 Energy & Commerce: New Republican Chairman needed after Upton • Republicans: John Shimkus (R-Ill.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.) are the top contenders to succeed term-limited Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.). Joe Barton (R-Tex.), who was chairman from 2004 to 2007, may also seek the gavel. • Democrats: Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) will probably remain Shimkus Walden ranking member. • Other notes: Walden heads the National Republican Congressional Committee, which could supersede Shimkus's seniority if Republicans keep a large majority. Barton Pallone Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Current Fred Upton (Mich.) Frank Pallone (N.J.) 115th Congress John Shimkus (Ill.) or Pallone Greg Walden (Ore.) Photo credits: House portraits Sources: Possible Energy Chairman Walden Gives Industry Pause; Whitfield Retirement Leaves Vacuum on House Energy Agenda 8 House Administration: Candice Miller retires; Who will become the ‘Mayor of Capitol Hill’? • Republicans: Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) is next in seniority and could take the outgoing Candice Miller’s (R-Mich.) spot, though it isn’t clear if anyone is actively seeking the gavel. • Unlike other committees whose chairmen are nominated by the Steering Committee, the House Administration Committee's chairman is nominated solely by the speaker, though still subject to conference Harper Brady approval. • Democrats: Ranking member Bob Brady (D-Pa.) will probably retain his spot. Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Current Candice Miller (Mich.) Bob Brady (Pa.) 115th Congress Gregg Harper (Miss.) Brady Photo credits: House portraits 9 Transportation & Infrastructure: Republicans lining up in case Shuster loses • Republicans: Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) is chairman but faces re-election competition from Art Halvorson, a Tea Party Republican running as a write-in Democrat. Halvorson lost the Republican primary by one percentage point, but Shuster holds a substantial fundraising advantage. • If he loses he could be replaced by: Shuster DeFazio – Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), chairman of the Railroads Subcommittee, although he also faces a moderately competitive re-election. – Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee. • Democrats: Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) will remain as ranking member. Graves Denham Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Current Bill Shuster (Pa.) Peter DeFazio (Ore.) 115th Congress Shuster, DeFazio Jeff Denham (Calif.), or Sam Graves (Mo.) Photo credits: House portraits 10 Veteran’s Affairs: Miller’s retirement, Brown loss create openings • Republicans: Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) could contend for the gavel after Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) steps down. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) and Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) have also expressed interest in the position. • Democrats: Mark Takano (D-Calif.) is acting ranking Roe Takano member following the indictment of Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), who also lost her primary. • Tim Walz (D-Minn.) is challenging Takano for the spot. Bilirakis Walz Republican chairman Ranking Democrat Current Jeff Miller (Fla.) Mark Takano (Calif.)* 115th Congress Phil Roe (Tenn.) or Gus Bilirakis (Fla.) Takano or Tim Walz (Minn.) *Note: Corrine Brown stepped down as ranking member on July 8 following an indictment. Takano became acting ranking member July 11. Photo credits: House portraits Source: Walz, Takano Vie to Become Top Democrat on Veterans’ Affairs 11 Committees with no changes ARE UNLIKELY Committee Republican Chairman Ranking Democrat Agriculture Michael Conaway (Texas) Collin Peterson (Minn.) Armed Services Mac Thornberry (Texas) Adam Smith (Wash.) Ethics Charlie Dent (Pa.) Linda Sánchez (Calif.)* Financial Services Jeb Hensarling (Texas) Maxine Waters (Calif.) Foreign Affairs Ed Royce (Calif.) Eliot Engel (N.Y.) Homeland Security Michael McCaul (Texas) Bennie G. Thompson (Miss.) Intelligence Devin Nunes (Calif.) Adam Schiff (Calif.) Judiciary Bob Goodlatte (Va.) John Conyers (Mich.) Natural Resources Rob Bishop (Utah) Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) Oversight & Government Reform Jason Chaffetz (Utah) Elijah Cummings (Md.) Rules Pete Sessions (Texas) Louise Slaughter (N.Y.) Science, Space & Technology Lamar Smith (Texas) Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas) Small Business Steve Chabot (Ohio) Nydia Velázquez (N.Y.) Ways & Means Kevin Brady (Texas) Sander Levin (Mich.) *Note: House rules limit members of the Ethics Committee to serving three out of five consecutive Congresses, though the chairman and ranking member can serve a fourth term. Rep. Sánchez has served three terms as ranking member, and it isn’t clear that she'll seek a fourth..