INTRODUCTION
Democrats will retain their majority in the 117th Congress. Dozens of races have yet to be called with delayed vote counting in states and congressional districts across the country, but enough races have officially been determined to project that at least 218 Democrats will have seats in the House of Representatives, the required number for a majority.
The retention of the majority for House Democrats as a result of the election was nearly a foregone conclusion. However, most pollsters and pundits projected them to grow their majority by upwards or 10 or more seats. Instead, they could face a 10-seat loss. District level polling clearly mislead many and will be scrutinized as the weeks unfold. House Republicans faced a difficult election map given the large number of incumbent Republican members retiring or not seeking reelection for other various reasons. However, Republicans won back several seats currently held by freshman Democrats that were won in the 2018 midterm election. Many of these were a surprising result. As of Wednesday morning, Republicans had gained a net of 6 seats, but that number is likely to change in either direction in favor of Democrats or Republicans.
Below is a list of the likely chairmen and ranking members of the House committees, as well as the expected leadership for both Democrats and Republicans in the 117th Congress. House Republicans have a six-year term limit for members serving as chairman and ranking member. House Democrats do not have term limits. In cases where a clear successor is uncertain, possible replacements are listed in order of seniority or most likely to succeed the open chair/ranking member.
HOUSE DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP
- Speaker of the House – Nancy Pelosi (CA)
- Majority Leader – Steny Hoyer (MD)
- Majority Whip – James Clyburn (SC)
- Assistant Speaker – Ben Ray Lujan (NM)
- Democratic Caucus Chairman – Hakeem Jeffries (NY)
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP
- Minority Leader – Kevin McCarthy (CA)
- Minority Whip – Steve Scalise (LA)
- Republican Conference Chairwoman – Liz Cheney (WI)
- Republican Policy Committee Chairman – Gary Palmer (AL)
HOUSE COMMITTEES
|
COMMITTEE
|
DEMOCRAT LEADER
|
REPUBLICAN LEADER
|
NOTES
|
|
Agriculture
|
David Scott (GA)
Marcia Fudge (OH)
Jim Costa (CA)
|
Glenn Thompson (PA)
Austin Scott (GA)
Rick Crawford (AR)
|
Current Ranking Member Mike Conaway (R-TX) is retiring, with Thompson possibly having a lead over the other contenders to replace him as the former committee vice chairman.
|
|
Appropriations
|
Rosa DeLauro (CT)
Marcy Kaptur (OH)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL)
|
Kay Granger (TX)
|
Current Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) is retiring. All three leading contenders currently hold gavels on subcommittees, but Kaptur has the most seniority.
|
|
Armed Services
|
Adam Smith (WA)
|
Joe Wilson (SC)
Mike Rogers (AL)
Mike Turner (OH)
|
Current Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-TX) is retiring, and Wilson has the most seniority.
|
|
Budget
|
John Yarmuth (KY)
|
Steve Womack (AR)
|
No change.
|
|
Education & Labor
|
Bobby Scott (VA)
|
Virginia Foxx (NC)
|
No change.
|
|
Energy & Commerce
|
Frank Pallone (NJ)
|
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA)
Mike Burgess (TX)
|
Current Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) is retiring. Other retirements or term limits on the committee give Rodgers the advantage for the top spot for Republicans.
|
|
Financial Services
|
Maxine Waters (CA)
|
Patrick McHenry (NC)
|
No change.
|
|
Foreign Affairs
|
Brad Sherman (CA)
Gregory Meeks (NY)
Joaquin Castro (TX)
|
Mike McCaul (TX)
|
Current Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) lost his primary in June. Sherman has the most seniority on the committee.
|
|
Homeland Security
|
Bennie Thompson (MS)
|
Mike Rogers (AL)
John Katko (NY)
Clay Higgins (LA)
|
Mike Rogers (R-AL) currently serves as the ranking member but may pursue Armed Services.
|
|
Intelligence
|
Adam Schiff (CA)
|
Devin Nunes (CA)
|
No change.
|
|
Judiciary
|
Jerry Nadler (NY)
|
Jim Jordan (OH)
|
No change.
|
|
Natural Resources
|
Raul Grijalva (AZ)
|
Don Young (AK)
Louie Gohmert (TX)
Doug Lamborn (CO)
|
Current Ranking Member Rob Bishop (R-UT) is retiring, leaving the top spot open for several members based on seniority.
|
|
Oversight & Reform
|
Carolyn Maloney (NY)
|
James Comer (KY)
|
No change.
|
|
Rules
|
Jim McGovern (MA)
|
Tom Cole (OK)
|
No change.
|
|
Science, Space, and Technology
|
Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX)
|
Frank Lucas (OK)
|
No change.
|
|
Small Business
|
Nydia Velazquez (NY)
|
Steve Chabot (OH)
|
No change.
|
|
Transportation & Infrastructure
|
Peter DeFazio (OR)
|
Sam Graves (MO)
|
No change.
|
|
Veterans’ Affairs
|
Mark Takano (CA)
|
Gus Bilirakis (FL)
Jack Bergman (MI)
Mike Bost (IL)
|
Current Ranking Member Phil Roe (R-TN) is retiring.
|
|
Ways & Means
|
Richard Neal (MA)
|
Kevin Brady (TX)
|
No change.
|
