House Republicans will approve today a new lineup of committee chairmen, including Reps. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) for the Homeland Security and Ed Royce (R-Calif.) for the Foreign Affairs panels.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) unveiled yesterday the House Republican Steering Committee’s chairmanship recommendations for the 113th Congress, which will start in January. In a statement he pledged the House panel leaders will “continue focusing on reforms that will grow our economy and create new jobs, and on holding the Obama administration accountable through aggressive oversight of the executive branch.”
McCaul beat Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) for the Homeland Security gavel, which she reportedly sought. Outgoing Chairman Peter King (R-N.Y.) lauded McCaul’s work on the panel, on which the Texas congressman has chaired the Oversight, Investigations, and Management Subcommittee and, previously, the Intelligence Subcommittee.
“I know that he is committed to securing our homeland from terrorism and ensuring that the Department of Homeland Security acts in an effective and responsible manner,” King said in a statement.
On the Foreign Affairs Committee, Royce will replace Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) as chairman. Royce has chaired the panel’s Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee. He reportedly competed for the full committee chairmanship with Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.).
The full House Republican Conference is poised to ratify the steering panel’s recommendations today. Those include keeping Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) as Appropriations Committee chairman and Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) as Armed Services Committee head. And Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), this year’s Republican vice presidential nominee, is poised to again chair the House Budget Committee.