In the 115th Congress, there will be twenty openings for committee and subcommittee chair positions in the House of Representatives due to the GOP’s self-imposed six year term limits on chairmanship. Here are a few of the committees we’re paying attention to.
APPROPRIATIONS: The current chair of Appropriations, Hal Rogers, has reached his six year limit, so Republicans will appoint new leadership to the committee in the 115th Congress. The favorite to replace Rogers is Rep. Rodney Frelighuysen from New Jersey. Rogers is hoping to swap committees chairs with Frelighuysen, who currently chairs the Defense subcommittee.
Rep. Nita N. Lowey of New York is expected to serve again as Ranking Member of the committee, her third term doing so.
ENERGY & COMMERCE: Two Members are seeking to replace term-limited Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan – Reps. John Shimkus of Illinois and Greg Walden of Oregon. While Shimkus has the inside track and seniority, Walden is keeping the race competitive.
Shimkus brings experience from his work as the Environment and the Economy Subcommittee chairman, which led to comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s toxic chemical review laws. Walden, on the other hand, would be more likely to focus the committee’s work on communications and technology. He is a former radio station owner and is critical of the Federal Communications Commission on a number of issues, including net neutrality.
There are three major issues related to health that the committee will address in the 115th Congress: legislation to renew user fee agreement between private industry and the Food and Drug Administration, a reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the future of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE: The top priority for this committee during the 115th Congress will be reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. Retiring Chairman John Kline is expected to be succeeded by Rep. Virginia Fox of North Carolina. She says her top priority for the HEA is to protect student data. Other issues at hand for the committee include student debt, school meal nutrition, extended overtime pay, and underfunded pensions.