114th Congress Leadership and Committee Chairmen Announced

House Republicans have chosen their committee chairmen for the 114th Congress, and Democrats have selected most ranking members.

Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) and Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.) will remain chairman and ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) will chair the Labor/Health and Human Services/Education Subcommittee, which determines funding for many health programs including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) will replace Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis,) as chairman of the Budget Committee. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) will remain the committee's ranking member. The Budget Committee provides the budget blueprint for all federal spending.

Rep. Ryan will replace the retiring Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) as the Ways and Means Committee chairman. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) will remain the committee's ranking member. This powerful committee has jurisdiction over Medicare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and tax policy.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) will remain chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) was voted to replace retiring Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) as ranking Democrat for the committee. Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) is slated to remain the chairman of the Health Subcommittee, and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) will assume the position of vice-chair of the Health Subcommittee. This committee determines policy for Medicare, Medicaid, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), NIH, CDC and other public health programs, as well as the ACA.

As a result of the November midterm elections, Republicans regained control of the Senate and added 12 seats to their majority in the House. Both House Democrats and House Republicans voted to reinstate their leaders in the 114th Congress. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) will remain speaker of the House, and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will remain majority leader. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will remain minority leader. Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) was also reelected by his party. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will serve as Senate majority leader opposite Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

On December 6, Rep. Bill Cassidy (R), a physician, won the Louisiana Senate runoff election. His win over current Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) determines the final partisan makeup of the Senate (54-46) and allows the chamber to finalize committee ratios, assignments and leadership.