The House Republican Steering Committee on Monday nominated nine new GOP members to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), to include former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas).
The group, which now needs to be approved by the Republican Conference and then the full House, also includes Reps. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), Jerry Carl (R-Ala.) and Scott Franklin (Fla.).
Politico first reported the list of new HASC members, with several later releasing statements following their nomination touting military installations of importance within their districts.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the HASC chairman, said Tuesday he will hold a full committee organizational meeting on Feb. 3, which is required before the panel can begin scheduling hearings and votes.
Jackson, who took over the congressional district vacated by former HASC Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), said in a statement he will be a “tireless advocate for our district’s defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex [and] Bell Helicopter.”
“I’m pleased Rep. Ronny Jackson will serve on the House Armed Services Committee. His 25 years of Naval service will be an indispensable addition for the committee. I’m grateful for his continued dedication to our country and thank him for his years of service to our nation,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the new HASC ranking member, said in a statement.
Mike Johnson, the vice chair of the House Republican Conference, noted his district in Louisiana includes Barksdale Air Force Base, headquarters of the Air Force Global Strike Command, Ft. Polk and the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center, and the Louisiana National Guard’s Camp Minden Training Site.
“I am humbled by the opportunity to represent the interests of these important installations and the courageous families who call them home,” Johnson wrote in a statement.
Blake Moore, a freshman member of Congress, represents Utah’s first district which includes Hill Air Force Base, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex and the Utah Test and Training range.
“The First District’s representation on the Committee is key to ensuring that the tens of thousands of constituents who work at Hill Air Force Base and its several assets have the necessary resources to make vital contributions to our national defense,” Moore wrote.
Additional freshman members on the list include Stephanie Bice, whose Oklahoma district includes Tinker Air Force Base, Lisa McClain, who represents Selfridge Air National Base in Michigan, Jerry Carl, who cited the importance of Alabama’s Austal Shipyard and Redstone Arsenal, and Scott Franklin, whose Florida district includes MacDill Air Force Base.