Posted January 20, 2023 | by KimS | in Biden Administration, DemDaily, House

DemDaily: Committees of the 118th Congress. The House

January 20, 2023

The new Republican majority of the US House of Representatives has completed its assignment of new committee chairs and members, providing insight into who will dominate the stage and decisions in what is expected to be one of the most contentious congressional terms in modern history.

The fundamental structure of the current House committees came as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following World War II. The legislation streamlined the committee system and their jurisdictions; upgraded staff support, strengthened congressional oversight of executive agencies, and established the procedure for congressional spending and taxation policies on a more rational basis. The bill also required lobbyists to register with Congress and to file reports of their activities.

The fundamental structure of the current House committees came as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following World War II. The legislation streamlined the committee system and their jurisdictions; upgraded staff support, strengthened congressional oversight of executive agencies, and established the procedure for congressional spending and taxation policies on a more rational basis. The bill also required lobbyists to register with Congress and to file reports of their activities.

There are two main types of congressional committees in the House: standing committees and select committees.

Committee chairs are selected by the majority party, and the "ranking" members by the minority party. While the process exercised by Democrats and Republicans may differ, most standing committees are selected by the respective party steering committees and ratified by the party conferences.

The exceptions are the Ethics, House Administration, and Rules Committees, as well as the select and joint committees, which are chosen respectively by the Speaker in the majority and Minority Leader in the minority.

House Republicans adhere to a six-year term limit on the service of chairs, while Democrats traditionally rely on the seniority system.

The Committees of the 118th Congress
Agriculture
Chair: Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Ranking Member: David Scott (D-GA)
Appropriations
Chair: Kay Granger (R-TX), Ranking Member: Rose DeLauro (D-CT)
Armed Services
Chair: Mike Rogers (R-AL), Ranking Member: Adam Smith (D-WA)
Budget
Chair: Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Ranking Member: Brendan Boyle (D-PA)
Education and the Workforce
Chair: Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Ranking Member: Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Energy and Commerce
Chair: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member: Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ)

The standing committees are also subdivided into what is usually five to eight subcommittees, each with its own leadership selected according to the full committee's rules. The only standing committee with no subcommittees is the Budget Committee.

The standing committees are also subdivided into what is usually five to eight subcommittees, each with its own leadership selected according to the full committee's rules. The only standing committee with no subcommittees is the Budget Committee.

Ethics
Chair: Michael Guest (R-MS), Ranking Member: Susan Wild (D-PA)
Financial Services
Chair: Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Ranking Member: Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Foreign Affairs
Chair: Michael McCaul (R-TX), Ranking Member: Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
Homeland Security
Chair: Mark Green (R-TN), Ranking Member: Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
House Administration
Chair: Bryan Steil (R-WI), Ranking Member: Joseph Morelle (D-NY)
Judiciary
Chair: Jim Jordan (R-OH), Ranking Member: Jerry Nadler (D-NY)
Natural Resources
Chair: Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Ranking Member: Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
Oversight and Accountability
Chair: Jim Comer (R-KY), Ranking Member: Jamie Raskin (D-MA)
Rules
Chair: Tom Cole (R-OK), Ranking Member: Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Science, Space, and Technology
Chair: Frank Lucas (R-OK), Ranking Member: Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Small Business
Chair: Roger Williams (R-TX), Ranking Member: Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
Transportation and Infrastructure
Chair: Sam Graves (R-Mo), Ranking Member: Rick Larsen (D-WA)
Veterans’ Affairs
Chair: Mike Bost (R-IL), Ranking Member: Mark Takano (D-CA)
Ways and Means
Chair: Jason Smith (R-MO). Ranking Member: Richard Neal (D-MA)

The GOP majority has also exercised its power to dissolve and create new committees. Defunct: The Select Committees on Climate Crisis; Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth; Modernization of Congress; and the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. One new committee, on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, has been created.

The GOP majority has also exercised its power to dissolve and create new committees. Defunct: The Select Committees on Climate Crisis; Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth; Modernization of Congress; and the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. One new committee, on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, has been created.

Select Committees
Intelligence (Permanent Select)
Chair: Michael R. Turner (R-OH), Ranking Member: Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Chair: Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member: Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party
Chair: Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Ranking Member: TBD