Post-Election Committee Membership Tracker
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This document serves as a tool to track key congressional positions, as well as potential and pending changes that are relevant to health policy on Capitol Hill. It covers US House of Representatives and US Senate leadership and membership of the healthcare committees of jurisdiction. We will update this document after the election when Congress returns, to determine the answers to the speculation below. SENATE AND HOUSE LEADERSHIP In the Senate, Democratic leadership is likely to remain unchanged regardless of the election outcome. In the House, the outcome of the election will have a significant impact on leadership. Should Democrats retain control, it is possible that the entire leadership team will remain in place. If Democrats lose control of the House, it is possible that the entire leadership team will be replaced with a new team of younger members. Current Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is considered the frontrunner to lead House Democrats should there be a change in leadership. On the Republican side, it is highly likely that Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will maintain his leadership role regardless of the outcome of the election. In the House, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is likely to become speaker if Republicans take the majority. While a challenge to McCarthy by the most conservative members of the Republican Conference is always possible, that danger is greatest if Republicans do not take the House. Current House Leadership Majority (Democrats) Minority (Republicans) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA) Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA) Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) Minority Whip Steve Scalise (LA) Majority Whip James Clyburn (SC) Current Senate Leadership Majority (Democrats) Minority (Republicans) Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) Majority Whip Richard Durbin (IL) Minority Whip John Thune (SD) POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 2 HOUSE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE The below chart outlines the current Democratic and Republican membership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Seven Democrats and five Republican are not returning (highlighted in orange). Four Democrats are currently in a competitive race for reelection (highlighted in green). Key Not Returning Competitive Racei House Committee on Energy and Commerce Democrats Republicans Frank Pallone (NJ), Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (CA) Michael Burgess (TX) Diana DeGette (CO) Steve Scalise (LA) Jan Schakowsky (IL) Robert Latta (OH) Doris Matsui (CA) Brett Guthrie (KY) Kathy Castor (FL) H. Morgan Griffith (VA) John Sarbanes (MD) Gus M. Bilirakis (FL) Paul Tonko (NY) Bill Johnson (OH) Yvette Clark (NY) Larry Bucshon (IN) Tony Cardenas (CA) Richard Hudson (NC) Raul Ruiz (CA) Tim Walberg (MI) Scott H. Peters (CA) Earl “Buddy” Carter (GA) Debbie Dingell (MI) Jeff Duncan (SC) Marc Veasey (TX) Gary Palmer (AL) Ann Kuster (NH) Neal Dunn (FL) Robin Kelly (IL) John Curtis (UT) Nanette Diaz Barragan (CA) Debbie Lesko (AZ) A. Donald McEachin (VA) Greg Pence (IN) Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE) Dan Crenshaw (TX) Darren Soto (FL) John Joyce (PA) Tom O’Halleran (AZ) Kelly Armstrong (ND) Angie Craig (MN) Fred Upton (MI) Kim Schrier (WA) David McKinley (WV) Lori Trahan (MA) Adam Kinzinger (IL) Lizzie Fletcher (TX) Markwayne Mullin (OK) Bobby Rush (IL) Billy Long (MO) Michael Doyle (PA) G.K. Butterfield (NC) Jerry McNerney (CA) Peter Welch (VT) Kurt Schrader (OR) Kathleen Rice (NY) POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 3 We expect that Representatives Pallone (D-NJ) and McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) will remain the Democratic and Republican leadership of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Should Republicans win the House, they will likely need to add as many as a dozen new members to the committee. Potential Republicans that could be added to the committee include the following Members of Congress, and it is always possible that newly elected members could be rewarded with a spot on a key committee: • Diana Harshbarger (TN) • Stephanie Bice (OK) • Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA) • Michelle Steel (CA) • Kat Cammack (FL) • Jay Obernolte (CA) • Troy Balderson (OH) • Cliff Bentz (OR) • August Pfluger (TX). If Democrats move to the minority, they may have to remove members from the committee. If they maintain House control, they will need to replace members who are not returning. Democrats almost never appoint freshman members to exclusive committees, so that is unlikely. Potential new members of the committee could include the following: • Troy Carter (LA) • Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM) • Suzanne Bonamici (OR) • Kathryn Manning (NC) or Deborah Ross (NC). POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 4 HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE The below chart outlines the current Democratic and Republican membership of the House Ways and Means Committee. Three Democrats and two Republicans are not returning, including Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX). This leaves an opening for a new Republican chair/ranking member. Three Republican Members of Congress are vying for this role: Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Jason Smith (R-MO). Two Democrats and one Republican are in competitive races: Dan Kildee (D-MI), Steven Horsford (D-NV), and David Schweikert (R-AZ). House Committee on Ways and Means Democrats Republicans Richard Neal (MA), Chair Kevin Brady (TX), Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (TX) Vern Buchanan (FL) Mike Thompson (CA) Adrian Smith (NE) John Larson (CT) Mike Kelly (PA) Earl Blumenauer (OR) Jason Smith (MO) Bill Pascrell (NJ) David Schweikert (AZ) Danny Davis (IL) Darin LaHood (IL) Linda Sanchez (CA) Brad Wenstrup (OH) Brian Higgins (NY) Jodey Arrington (TX) Terri Sewell (AL) Drew Ferguson (GA) Suzan DelBene (WA) Ron Estes (KS) Judy Chu (CA) Lloyd Smucker (PA) Gwen Moore (WI) Kevin Hern (OK) Dan Kildee (MI) Carol Miller (WV) Brendan Boyle (PA) Gregory Murphy (NC) Donald Beyer (VA) David Kustoff (TN) Dwight Evans (PA) Tom Rice (SC) Bradley Schneider (IL) Jimmy Panetta (CA) Jimmy Gomez (CA) Steven Horsford (NV) Stacey Plaskett (VI) Ron Kind (WI) Tom Suozzi (NY) Stephanie Murphy (FL) Current conventional wisdom suggests that Buchanan has the edge to be the next Republican leader of the Ways and Means Committee. If Democrats hold the House, each side will need to replace its members not returning. If Republicans take the House, the committee ratios will flip. Republicans will need to appoint roughly 10 new members to the Key Not Returning Competitive Racei Potential New Leadership Role POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 5 committee, and Democrats will likely be forced to remove several of their current members from the committee. Potential Republican Members of Congress that could be added to the committee if Republicans win the House include: • Greg Steube (FL) • Blake Moore (UT) • Randy Feenstra (IA) • Beth Van Duyne (TX) • Michelle Steel (CA) • Claudia Tenney (NY) or Nicole Malliotakis (NY) • Mike Carey (OH) • Michelle Fischbach (MN) • Nancy Mace (SC). If Democrats maintain House control, they will need to replace members who are not returning. Democrats almost never appoint freshman members to exclusive committees, so that is unlikely. Potential new members of the committee could include the following: • Shontel Brown (OH) • Sean Patrick Maloney (NY) • Ritchie Torres (NY) • Joe Neguse (CO). POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 6 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE The below chart outlines the current Democratic and Republican membership of the Senate Finance Committee. Four Republicans are retiring: Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Rob Portman (R-OH), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Ben Sasse (R-NE). No Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee are retiring, but three are in potentially competitive reelection races: Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). Senate Committee on Finance Democrats Republicans Ron Wyden (OR), Chair Mike Crapo (ID), Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (MI) Chuck Grassley (IA) Maria Cantwell (WA) John Cornyn (TX) Robert Menendez (NJ) John Thune (SD) Thomas Carper (DE) Tim Scott (SC) Benjamin Cardin (MD) Bill Cassidy (LA) Sherrod Brown (OH) James Lankford (OK) Michael Bennet (CO) Steve Daines (MT) Robert Casey (PA) Todd Young (IN) Mark Warner (VA) John Barrasso (WY) Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) Richard Burr (NC) Maggie Hassan (NH) Rob Portman (OH) Catherine Cortez Masto (NV) Pat Toomey (PA) Elizabeth Warren (MA) Ben Sasse (NE) Regardless of the election outcome, we expect that leadership of the Senate Finance Committee will remain with Senators Wyden (D-OR) and Crapo (R-ID). Potential Republicans that could be added to the Senate Finance Committee to replace retirements, or if the ratios increase to reflect the election outcome, include the following senators: • Marsha Blackburn (TN) • Deb Fischer (NE) • Mitt Romney (UT) • Rick Scott (FL) • Tom Cotton (AR) • Dan Sullivan (AK). Potential Democrats that could be added to the Senate Finance Committee if the ratios increase to reflect the election outcome include the following Senators: Key Retiring Competitive Racei POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 7 • Kristen Gillibrand (NY) • Mazie Hirono (HI) • Tammy Duckworth (IL). POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 8 SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE The below chart outlines the current Democratic and Republican membership of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Other than Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC), there are no retirements on the committee. Senator Hassan (D-NH) is the only committee member in a competitive reelection race. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Democrats Republicans Patty Murray (WA), Chair (Expected to become Chair of Appropriations Committee) Richard Burr (NC), Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Rand Paul (KY) Robert Casey (PA) Susan Collins (ME) Tammy Baldwin (WI) Bill Cassidy (LA) Christopher Murphy (CT) Lisa Murkowski (AK) Tim Kaine (VA) Mike Braun (IN) Maggie Hassan (NH) Roger Marshall (KS) Tina Smith (MN) Tim Scott (SC) Jacky Rosen (NV) Mitt Romney (UT) Ben Ray Lujan (NM) Tommy Tuberville (AL) John Hickenlooper (CO) Jerry Moran (KS) Leadership for the HELP Committee in the 118th Congress will see significant changes. As noted, Ranking Member Burr is retiring. As a result, there will be new Republican leadership for the Committee. In order of seniority, Senator Paul (RKY) is next in line to become the Republican HELP Chair/Ranking Member (highlighted in purple). Depending on election outcomes, Senator Paul could also be in line to be the Republican leader of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Senator Collins (R-ME) is likely to become the Republican leader of the Appropriations Committee. So, there is a chance that Senator Cassidy (R-LA) could end up being the Republican leader of the HELP Committee. On the Democratic side, Chair Murray (D-WA) is expected to become the Democratic leader of the Appropriations Committee. Should she give up her role at the HELP Committee for that position, Senator Sanders (I-VT) is next in line to become the Democratic HELP Chair/Ranking Member (highlighted in purple). Potential Republicans that could be added to the Senate HELP Committee to replace retirements, or if the ratios increase to reflect the election outcome, include the following: • Marsha Blackburn (TN) • Incoming freshmen (Mehmet Oz, for example, should he win). Potential Democrats that could be added to the Senate HELP Committee should the ratios increase to reflect the election outcome include the following: Key Retiring Competitive Racei Potential New Leadership Role Likely to Leave Leadership Role POST-ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TRACKER 9 • Tammy Duckworth (IL) • Incoming freshmen (John Fetterman, for example, should he win)