Washington, D.C. — This morning, the full House Republican Conference ratified the following recommendations from the House Republican Steering Committee for committee ranking members in the 117th Congress.
Agriculture
Rep. GT Thompson (PA-15)
Ranking Member Thompson previously served as vice chairman of the Agriculture Committee and most recently as ranking member of three of its subcommittees. Congressman Thompson is ready to lead his colleagues on an issue he knows best. He comes from a family of dairy farmers, and has lived in rural Pennsylvania his whole life, so he understands what needs to be done to take America’s agriculture industry to the next level, and he knows the needs of the hard working Americans who will get us there. One of Ranking Member Thompson’s best leadership skills is his commitment to speaking up, leading him to be the most frequent speaker on the House floor for the past seven years. A strong voice and the ideas to back it up will provide the Ag Committee leadership and produce results for America’s farmers.
Appropriations
Rep. Kay Granger (TX-12)
As Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, Kay Granger has fought to help secure our borders, support our law enforcement, protect our Second Amendment rights, and provide for our national defense — all while making sure liberal wishlist items like the Green New Deal have been excluded from final spending bills. Ranking Member Granger is a proud Texan and knows America’s values are worth fighting for. Under her leadership, Republican appropriators will work tirelessly to ensure every spending bill helps restore, rebuild, and renew our country.
Armed Services
Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03)
Ranking Member Rogers knows what our military needs to best protect our nation. He previously served as Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee for four years and served on the Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee. His vision to modernize our military and take on China will put our service members and country in a better position over these crucial next few years. Congressman Rogers represents east Alabama, which is home to the Anniston Army Depot, Fort Benning, and the Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. He is a proven leader who has been advocating on behalf of these bases for nearly two decades, and he is ready to keep fighting now as a leader of the committee representing and equipping America’s heroes.
Budget
Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08)
While running his family farm and practicing law, Ranking Member Smith learned the importance of balancing a budget. He also understood the harm an overbearing government can do to a community and its economy. He’s worked to undo burdensome regulations and taxes in his years on the Budget Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. Congressman Smith understands the money that hard working Americans make belongs in their pocket – not in the government’s expense account. He will serve as Ranking Member of the Budget Committee with that at top of mind. His vision is a budget for all Americans: focusing on economic, educational, and community security, as well as putting first the working class Americans who keep the country running. Ranking Member Smith sees this role as not just debating dollars, but the direction of the country. And as we’ve seen with this Democrat majority, we need a strong, knowledgeable voice to push back against the left’s unruly and damaging spending methods.
Education and Labor
Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC-05)
Throughout her tenure as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, Virginia Foxx has fought against liberal excesses like forced unionization and a $15 federal minimum wage, while advancing Republican solutions that offer educational reform, more opportunities for workers, and environments that allow job creators to thrive. Next Congress, Education and Labor Republicans will once again lean on Ranking Member Foxx’s wisdom to push back against Democrats’ socialist agenda and union boss wish lists that would line their pockets at the expense of countless hard working Americans.
Energy and Commerce
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05)
Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers has been a leader in this conference and on the Energy and Commerce Committee for many years. She honorably served as Chair of the House Republican Conference for six years, and is currently the co-chair of the Rural Health Caucus, where she advocates for better access to affordable and quality health care services in the nation’s rural communities – something Congress must continue to focus on as the opioid epidemic continues to devastate families and communities. At a critical time for health care policy in this country, she is also a strong voice for those with preexisting conditions as well as the disabled community. She excels at communicating health care as a top priority for Republicans, as it is for most Americans, and has the solutions to bring down costs, provide choices for the American people, and ensure that our nation continues to lead the world in cures and breakthroughs. As a member of the committee and founder of the Hydropower Caucus, she’s a vocal champion of dams and hydropower as a source of clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers has been a strong member on this committee for years, and will continue to be an exceptional leader for her colleagues.
Financial Services
Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC-10)
As the lead Republican on the House Committee on Financial Services, Ranking Member McHenry’s ability to bring together members from across the ideological spectrum has delivered positive results for hard working Americans. From extending flood insurance to enacting a long-term reauthorization of the Export-Import bank of the United States, he has kept the promises he made at the beginning of last Congress. His leadership will allow Financial Services Committee Republicans to provide effective oversight in the upcoming Congress, as Democrats attempt to use the financial system to push their progressive priorities.
Foreign Affairs
Rep. Michael McCaul (TX-10)
China’s deception and mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan caused a pandemic that should have never happened. As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mike McCaul led the charge to uncover the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) culpability in the origins of the pandemic. He was also chosen by Republican Leader McCarthy to head House Republicans’ China Task Force, which has been instrumental in countering both current and future threats from China. Ranking Member McCaul’s leadership will be imperative to continue holding the CCP accountable in the 117th Congress.
Judiciary
Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04)
Ranking Member Jordan was chosen by his colleagues earlier this year to be the top Republican on the House Committee on the Judiciary because he has proven throughout his career to be a fierce defender of the Constitution. He has prioritized protecting the Second Amendment in the face of Democrats’ continued attacks, supported President Trump’s immigration priorities, and fought against the censorship of Conservative voices. He’s also successfully pushed back on Democrat attempts to defund the police and drum up phony scandals about the Trump administration. Ranking Member Jordan will continue to lead the Judiciary Committee in the fight to protect American values.
Natural Resources
Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04)
Ranking Member Westerman is the only member of Congress with a Master of Forestry from Yale University. His understanding and passion for America’s natural resources and market-based conservation will put the Natural Resources Republicans head and shoulders above in the fight to use and preserve America’s bounty. Westerman is a licensed forester who spends every second of free time outdoors in the Natural State, and has been an active member of the Natural Resources Committee since he stepped foot in Congress. His recent Trillion Trees Act has garnered bipartisan support from both chambers of Congress, as well as from President Trump and business leaders around the world. Ranking Member Westerman has a forward-thinking grasp on the direction of the party and country when it comes to the overlap of the economy and environment, and undoubtedly has the unique experience and knowledge to elevate a committee he cares so much about.
Oversight and Government Reform
Rep. James Comer (KY-01)
Since taking over as the top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform in June, Ranking Member Comer has worked to expose government waste through spending transparency reforms, and debunked Democrats’ baseless Postal Service conspiracy theory. He also proactively launched a wide-ranging examination of the impact government regulations have on economic recovery so that we can restore the greatest economy in history while continuing our pursuit to defeat the virus. Under Ranking Member Comer’s leadership, Oversight Republicans will continue to hold Democrats accountable, while ensuring the federal government is transparent and hard working taxpayers’ money is spent as effectively as possible.
Science, Space, and Technology
Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03)
As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in the 116th Congress, Frank Lucas focused on conservative policies to keep America at the forefront of scientific knowledge and technological development, prioritized basic research in critical areas like artificial intelligence, quantum sciences, and advanced manufacturing, and worked to protect our research from theft by China. Under Ranking Member Lucas’s leadership, Republicans on the committee will work tirelessly next Congress to ensure the United States remains the world leader in science and technology.
Small Business
Rep. Luetkemeyer (MO-03)
Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer is a former small business owner, a leader in the development of the Paycheck Protection Program, and a key member of President Trump’s Task Force to Reopen the Economy. His experience and commitment to America’s largest job creator will be indispensable as he leads the Small Business Committee in a turbulent economic time. We will make the economy stronger than it was before, and led by Ranking Member Luektemeyer, Small Business Republicans will be a big reason why.
Transportation & Infrastructure
Rep. Sam Graves (MO-06)
Last Congress, Ranking Member Graves focused on common sense solutions like the STARTER Act to address America’s infrastructure needs, while fighting back on the majority’s efforts to push unworkable, costly initiatives like their Green New Deal. Graves’s focus at the start of the 117th Congress will include improving upon the work T&I did on the STARTER Act, finding workable solutions to address further infrastructure needs, and pushing back on unrealistic, costly overreach by House Democrats. Under Ranking Member Grave’s guidance on Transportation and Infrastructure, Republicans will be ready to address the urgent need to fix our roads and bridges, among many other major issues.
Veterans’ Affairs
Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12)
Ranking Member Bost has a unique understanding of our nation’s veterans because he has similarly served this country his entire life: as a marine, a firefighter, a local job creator, and a truck driver and manager. He is an active member of our Conference, where he serves on three committees: Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and Transportation & Infrastructure. Bost currently serves as the lead Republican on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. His time on the committee has also produced real results for our veterans. Since President Trump signed his Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, which streamlined the veterans’ benefits appeals process, appeals backlog decreased by 80%. Ranking Member Bost is steadfastly committed to service and getting results, and will be a strong leader for our veterans.
Ways And Means
Rep. Kevin Brady (TX-08)
Under Ranking Member Brady’s leadership last Congress, Ways & Means Republicans protected people’s health, strengthened and grew the economy, and provided relief to families and small businesses. His committee defended workers and American businesses by passing new trade deals like the USMCA, repealed costly taxes on medical supplies and health care, and provided relief for workers, families, Main Street businesses, and health care providers with the CARES Act. Ranking Member Brady’s leadership on the Ways & Means Committee next Congress will be instrumental in advancing GOP priorities with our trade allies, and restoring the greatest economy in history.