committee assignments in congress

Congressional Committees

Committees decide which bills and resolutions move forward to consideration by the House or Senate as a whole. Committee chairs have enormous influence over this process.

#protip: To track upcoming committee meetings, check out Congress.gov’s committee meetings calendar .

Committee meetings each weekday over the last year. Darker is more meetings.

Senate Committees

Agriculture, nutrition, and forestry, appropriations, armed services, banking, housing, and urban affairs, commerce, science, and transportation, energy and natural resources, environment and public works, foreign relations, health, education, labor, and pensions, homeland security and governmental affairs, indian affairs, intelligence, rules and administration, small business and entrepreneurship, united states senate caucus on international narcotics control, veterans' affairs, house committees, agriculture, education and the workforce, energy and commerce, financial services, foreign affairs, homeland security, house administration, house select subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic, house select subcommittee on the weaponization of the federal government, natural resources, oversight and accountability, science, space, and technology, small business, strategic competition between the united states and the chinese communist party, transportation and infrastructure, ways and means, joint committees.

The joint committees are made up of both senators and representatives. They typically have an oversight or policy role but no legislative duties.

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Joint Committee on Printing

Joint Committee on Taxation

Joint Committee on the Library

Joint Economic Committee

While the Joint Committees on Printing and the Library have nominal responsibility for oversight of the Government Publishing Office and the Library of Congress, respectively, the committees are essentially defunct and oversight takes place within the majority party leadership of each chamber.

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• Find Your Representative
• 118th Congress, 2nd Session

Committee Profiles

• Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development
• Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology
• General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit
• Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture
• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
• Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
• Financial Services and General Government
• Homeland Security
• Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
• Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
• Legislative Branch
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation
• Intelligence and Special Operations
• Military Personnel
• Seapower and Projection Forces
• Strategic Forces
• Tactical Air and Land Forces
• Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
• Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
• Higher Education and Workforce Development
• Workforce Protections
• Communications and Technology
• Energy, Climate, and Grid Security
• Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials
• Innovation, Data, and Commerce
• Oversight and Investigations
• Capital Markets
• Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion
• Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy
• Housing and Insurance
• National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions
• Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
• Indo-Pacific
• Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia
• Oversight and Accountability
• Western Hemisphere
• Border Security and Enforcement
• Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection
• Emergency Management and Technology
• Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability
• Transportation and Maritime Security
• Modernization
• The Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust
• The Constitution and Limited Government
• Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet
• Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
• Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
• Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight
• Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
• Energy and Mineral Resources
• Federal Lands
• Indian and Insular Affairs
• Water, Wildlife and Fisheries
• Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation
• Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs
• Government Operations and the Federal Workforce
• Health Care and Financial Services
• National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs
• Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic
• Legislative and Budget Process
• Rules and Organization of the House
• Environment
• Investigations and Oversight
• Research and Technology
• Space and Aeronautics
• Contracting and Infrastructure
• Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access
• Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development
• Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations
• Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains
• Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
• Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
• Highways and Transit
• Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
• Water Resources and Environment
• Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
• Economic Opportunity
• Technology Modernization
• Social Security
• Work and Welfare
• Central Intelligence Agency
• Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture
• National Intelligence Enterprise
• National Security Agency and Cyber

The House’s committees consider bills and issues and oversee agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions.

• Agriculture
• Appropriations
• Armed Services
• Education and the Workforce
• Energy and Commerce
• Financial Services
• Foreign Affairs
• Homeland Security
• House Administration
• Natural Resources
• Oversight and Accountability
• Science, Space, and Technology
• Small Business
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Veterans’ Affairs
• Ways and Means
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
• Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party
• Joint Economic Committee
• Joint Committee on the Library
• Joint Committee on Printing
• Joint Committee on Taxation

View Committees No Longer Standing from the 117th Congress

• White House
• Energy/Environment
• Health Care
• Transportation
• Heard on the Hill
• Fintech Beat
• Political Theater
• Newsletters
• Capitol Ink
• Roll Call e-Edition
• Classifieds

Guide to House committee chairs for 118th Congress

Glenn Thompson , a Pennsylvania Republican in his eighth term, assumes the top Agriculture Committee post as the panel prepares to write a 2023 farm bill to set multiyear policy for agriculture, nutrition, conservation and other programs. The current five-year bill expires Sept. 30.  

The Agriculture Committee is likely to debate the agriculture industry’s role in climate change policy. Thompson has expressed skepticism about the Biden administration incorporating climate policies in existing farm bill conservation programs and advancing new climate pilot programs.

However, Thompson successfully tacked on to the fiscal 2023 omnibus spending packag the text of his bill to allow the Agriculture Department to accept private contributions for private-public partnership accounts that could be used for climate and other projects under the Natural Resource Conservation Service. 

David Scott , D-Ga., the panel’s former chairman, will continue in his party’s top slot as ranking member.

Appropriations

Texas Republican Kay Granger takes the helm at Appropriations during a tumultuous time for her party, driven by a near-universal desire to cut federal spending, but less agreement on exactly what to cut. 

First elected in 1996, Granger became the first woman to lead her party on the powerful spending panel in 2019. Her Fort Worth-area district is home to military installations and defense contractors like Lockheed Martin Corp. She has repeatedly made clear that defense won’t bear the burden of any spending cuts that Speaker Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., agreed to in exchange for conservatives’ support.

Other Republicans quickly came out with similar statements, making it clear that domestic programs are likely to shoulder the brunt of any budget cuts. But it’s unclear that such austere fiscal 2024 appropriations bills can even pass the House, let alone the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Rosa DeLauro , D-Conn., will continue as the top Appropriations Democrat in this Congress.

Armed Services

Mike D. Rogers , R-Ala., will chair the Armed Services Committee.

Rogers backs growth in the U.S. defense budget to deter Russia, China and other potential foes. He will also oversee an assault this year on what Republicans term the Pentagon’s “woke” social agenda, and the committee will help lead a House GOP probe of the problematic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.  

Rogers has represented his eastern Alabama district for two decades. He was the Armed Services Committee’s ranking member in the 117th Congress, and once chaired its Strategic Forces panel. Eastern Alabama is home to several major Army and Air Force installations, and the aerospace and aviation hub of Huntsville is not far to the north.

Adam Smith of Washington remains the panel’s top Democrat.

Jodey C. Arrington , a Texas Republican now in his fourth term, won the Budget gavel after winning a three-way competition that played out before the steering committee on Monday.

Arrington’s already well acquainted with fiscal issues from his time serving on the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy and swaths of federal spending. He’ll have his hands full trying to unify the fractious GOP Conference around a budget resolution that can be adopted on a party-line vote, with just four votes to spare. But he’s also touted his work across the aisle to try to impose some fiscal discipline.

After winning the Budget slot late Monday, Arrington in a statement invoked James Madison’s admonition that “public debt is a public curse,” and at $31 trillion and counting, is exponentially greater than any of the Founding Fathers could have envisioned. “It will take a team effort across the GOP Conference and across the aisle to restore fiscal responsibility and reverse the curse,” Arrington said.

Brendan F. Boyle , D-Pa., will be the panel’s ranking member after the retirement of former Chairman John Yarmuth , D-Ky.

Education and the Workforce

The GOP Conference backed  Virginia Foxx of North Carolina to chair the Committee on Education and the Workforce, returning her to a position she held from 2017 to 2019.

“To officials in the Biden administration: think about investing in a parking space on Capitol Hill — you will be here often,” she said Monday in a statement after winning the Republican Steering Committee’s nomination, fighting off a challenge by Tim Walberg of Michigan. 

Scrutiny of President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, currently tied up in the courts, will be a top priority, Foxx said. 

Robert C. Scott of Virginia is the panel’s top Democrat.

Energy and Commerce

Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington will chair the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee after two years serving as ranking member. 

She’s expected to focus first on energy policy, as Republicans seek to lower gas prices and counter Biden’s energy and economic agenda.

But the health care list is also long. Rodgers has pledged to drill down on the nation’s fentanyl crisis — an issue that also doubles as fodder for Republicans’ promise to secure the southern border and hold Big Tech companies’ feet to the fire.

Republicans also hope to boost their ongoing COVID-19 investigations with the additional power that comes with committee gavels. Ending the public health emergency, reversing worker mandates related to testing and vaccination, finding the origins of the virus, investigating fraud in pandemic aid programs and conducting oversight of the Biden administration’s pandemic-related decisions are all on the agenda.

Former Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. , D-N.J., will be ranking member.

Michael Guest , R-Miss., has the been the acting ranking member on Ethics, though McCarthy hasn’t made any announcements yet regarding his picks for the panel.

Democrats named Susan Wild of Pennsylvania as the new ranking member on Ethics, which could have its hands full right out of the gate investigating the circumstances around the election of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., among other topics.

Financial Services

The GOP Conference backed Patrick T. McHenry of North Carolina, a key negotiator behind the deal to secure the speakership for McCarthy, to lead the House Financial Services Committee.

“I’m excited to get back to my policy bag,” McHenry said toward the end of speaker negotiations. “I mean, that’s what this whole week has been about, is getting on with the business.”

McHenry, who will take over the panel after four years as ranking member, has vowed to ramp up oversight of banking and market regulators, pursue legislation to protect consumer financial data protections, make it easier to raise capital and establish a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies.

Maxine Waters , D-Calif., stays on as ranking member.

Foreign Affairs 

Michael McCaul , R-Texas, has been selected as the next chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

McCaul was outspoken during last week’s speaker election floor drama about wanting to get started with committee work, including a planned investigation of the Biden administration’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan, as well as issues related to Russia and China as panel priorities in the 118th Congress.

The panel also is expected to debate U.S. aid to Ukraine, a top target of conservatives.

Gregory W. Meeks , D-N.Y., is ranking member.

Homeland Security

Tennessee Republican  Mark E. Green will lead the House Homeland Security Committee, which oversees the third-largest government agency, after winning a contested race Monday at the steering panel. He cited priorities of countering weapons of mass destruction and issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border.

A member of the Freedom Caucus and a veteran and physician, Green emphasized his “breadth of experience,” including in health care, as making him uniquely qualified to lead the panel. Green is a former Army physician who later founded an emergency medical staffing company.

Green will lead efforts to oversee the sprawling department’s myriad duties, including border security, cybersecurity, counterterrorism and emergency response preparedness.

Bennie Thompson of Mississippi remains the panel’s top Democrat.

House Administration

Leadership of the committee that manages the House’s daily operations, various ancillary agencies like the Library of Congress, Capitol security and the U.S. Capitol Police as well as federal election law is up to McCarthy himself, rather than the steering panel. 

Since former Rep. Rodney Davis , R-Ill., lost his primary last year, there remains a vacuum at the top that’s expected to filled by one of two candidates: Wisconsin’s Bryan Steil  or Georgia’s Barry Loudermilk .

Steil has been viewed by some as the favorite since McCarthy tapped him to lead his “Restoring the People’s House” transition team for the 118th Congress, which focused on making the chamber more accessible to the public. But McCarthy, just coming off a weeklong battle to be elected speaker, hasn’t yet publicly signaled his intentions.

Joseph D. Morelle of New York will be the panel’s top Democrat, succeeding California’s Zoe Lofgren .

Intelligence

Another speaker-appointed role, the Intelligence chair slot hasn’t been made official yet. But it doesn’t appear that Rep. Michael R. Turner , R-Ohio, who’s been ranking member for the past year, has any competition for it.

First elected in 2002, Turner is the third-most senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee and has served on the Intelligence panel since 2015. He represents Ohio’s 10th District, an Air Force-heavy area that is home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

As ranking member of the Intelligence panel, Turner touted the expansion of intelligence operations at Wright-Patterson under his watch. He is also a staunch China hawk.

It’s not yet clear who’ll be ranking member on the committee; McCarthy has pledged to boot Rep. Adam B. Schiff , D-Calif., the former chairman, off the panel altogether.

Ohio Republican  Jim Jordan will lead the Judiciary Committee, which oversees the Justice Department and a wide array of issues related to crime, policing, internet and tech companies, immigration, border policy and more.

The former college wrestling coach has taken a lead role in his party on oversight of the Biden administration and said the committee’s work would be vigorous and aggressive. He has remained one of Trump’s fiercest allies, who has widely panned Biden’s policies on the U.S.-Mexico border and the economy.

Jordan has said Republicans plan to focus on “problems which have all happened in the past two years,” including migrant crossings at the southern border and what he calls the weaponization of the government and the Justice Department against citizens. 

The panel’s former chair, Jerrold Nadler of New York, will be ranking member in this Congress.

Natural Resources

House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman , R-Ark., said that under his leadership the committee will focus on “responsible stewardship of the incredible natural resources we’ve been given.”

Westerman will lead the committee after one term as its ranking member, having taken over the top Republican spot in 2021.

A licensed forester and engineer prior to entering politics, he has leaned on his experience and pointed to forestry as a possible area for bipartisan consensus. A frequent critic of both the administration and the current federal permitting process, he has called for the government to support greater development of oil, gas and mineral resources on public lands.

Arizona Democrat Raúl M. Grijalva will continue to lead his party on Natural Resources as ranking member.

Oversight and Accountability

Kentucky GOP Rep. James R. Comer ‘s quick rise up the House Republican ranks has landed him the chairmanship of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee in the new Congress.

A McCarthy ally, Comer is vowing to investigate a list of issues related to Biden, his family and his administration.

“I mean, when you hear more stories about outrageous activities that the Biden family’s engaged in, you have to ask yourself, where is Joe Biden on this? Why doesn’t he have the decency to rein the family in?” he told Fox News on Dec. 9. “Their business is influence peddling.” No Biden has been charged with criminal wrongdoing. 

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin is the top Democrat on the committee.

Sometimes referred to as the “speaker’s committee,” each of its majority members, including its chair, is hand-picked by McCarthy.

The speaker hasn’t yet named the panel’s full GOP roster — which conservatives expect to populate in part with Freedom Caucus members — but on Tuesday he officially tapped  Tom Cole , R-Okla., to move over from the ranking member slot to the chair.

Rules derives its power from its key role in setting the terms of floor debate, deciding which amendments can be offered, how long debate will last, which points of order can be waived and so forth. Any bill with any controversy attached to it has to go through Rules, which can modify legislation with all manner of last-minute fixes to win votes.

The panel’s top Democrat remains Jim McGovern of Massachusetts.

Science, Space and Technology

Frank D. Lucas , R-Okla., is taking over the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which oversees science agencies and federal research.

Lucas describes the panel, which has jurisdiction over NASA, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as digital technology like artificial intelligence, as a committee of the future due to its focus on emerging issues.

“America has long been the global leader because of our commitment to innovative, fundamental research and our ability to leverage public-private partnerships,” Lucas said. “It will be our job on the Committee to ensure the U.S. stays at the cutting edge of science and technology by supporting and protecting American research.”

Lofgren is the panel’s new top Democrat, replacing former Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, who retired after the 117th Congress.

Small Business

New Small Business Chairman Roger Williams says he will draw on his decades as a car dealer “to be the voice of Main Street America” as the panel digs into regulations issued by the Biden administration. 

Williams, R-Texas, said he plans to take on rules he considers costly and burdensome. He seems unlikely to use the committee to scrutinize the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, a lending program to help businesses retain workers during COVID-19 shutdowns. 

Government watchdogs say there is evidence of fraud and lax lending standards. Williams received at least $1 million in 2020 for his auto business, money that he said helped to save many jobs.

Nydia M. Velázquez of New York will continue in her role as the panel’s top Democrat.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Sam Graves , R-Mo., will lead the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 118th Congress. Graves, who has led Republicans on the panel as ranking member since 2018, ran uncontested and secured the Steering Committee’s favor soon after the November midterms when Republicans won control.

He’s set to focus on oversight of the Biden administration’s implementation of the 2021 infrastructure law, as well as Federal Aviation Administration and Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Administration reauthorization bills.

Graves replaces former Rep. Peter A. DeFazio , D-Ore., who retired, as chairman. The Democratic Caucus elected Rep. Rick Larsen , D-Wash., as ranking member of the infrastructure panel in December.

Veterans’ Affairs

Mike Bost , R-Ill., will continue to serve as top Republican on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Bost, a veteran himself who has also held jobs as a firefighter and a truck driver, has served on the committee since coming to Congress in 2015.

Bost says he’s “committed to ensuring full transparency for veterans and taxpayers so that [veterans] have access to the care, support, and services they have earned and to lead fulfilling lives as civilians.” 

He initially opposed 2022 legislation to establish a costly new benefit program for veterans suffering illnesses due to toxic exposure, such as open burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he came around and ultimately backed the final version negotiated with the Senate.

The previous chairman, Mark Takano , D-Calif., will move over to Bost’s old ranking member slot.

Ways and Means

Jason Smith , R-Mo., won a three-way race on Monday to become the next chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, with jurisdiction over tax and trade policy, Medicare, Social Security and other entitlement programs and the statutory debt ceiling that the Treasury is set to hit later this year.

Smith is pledging more of a working-class tone at Ways and Means and a populist-tinged trade policy in line with Trump’s approach to China, for instance. He’s also gearing up for the coming battle over federal spending, while at the same time seeking extensions of Trump’s signature tax cuts.

Smith, who was the top Republican on the Budget panel in the last Congress, will be the youngest-ever Ways and Means chairman.

His Democratic counterpart is Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, who’d been Ways and Means chairman since 2019. 

Peter Cohn, Ellyn Ferguson, Aidan Quigley, John M. Donnelly, Paul M. Krawzak, Lindsey McPherson, Caitlin Reilly, Lauren Clason, Herb Jackson, Benjamin J. Hulac, David Jordan, Valerie Yurk, John T. Bennett, Suzanne Monyak, Mark Satter, Laura Weiss and Michael Macagnone contributed to this report.

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What the 21 McCarthy holdouts got in committee assignments

WASHINGTON — The 21 House Republicans who initially blocked Rep. Kevin McCarthy from winning the speakership had demanded big changes to House rules, but they also wanted more influence on the congressional committees that will set the GOP agenda over the next two years.

While not every holdout got exactly what he or she had asked for, some won plum committee assignments from McCarthy, R-Calif., and his allies after they helped him secure the speaker's gavel , a process that took 15 rounds of voting.

As part of his deal with detractors, McCarthy named three conservative rabble rousers — Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — to the influential Rules Committee, which decides how exactly bills come to the House floor.

Here's what we know so far:

• Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona , a former head of the Freedom Caucus and one of the five so-called Never Kevins , will keep his spots on the powerful Judiciary and Oversight committees. He was also named chairman of Judiciary's subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance. Biggs changed his vote to "present" on the final ballot for speaker, helping push McCarthy over the finish line.
• Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina , one of 13 holdouts who flipped to back McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on both the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. McCarthy also named Bishop to Judiciary's new subcommittee on the "Weaponization of the Federal Government."
• Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado , a vocal McCarthy critic who voted "present" on the 14th and 15th ballots, was awarded a seat on the Oversight and Accountability Committee, which plans to launch numerous investigations into the Biden administration. She will continue to serve on the Natural Resources panel, on which she served in the previous Congress.
• Freshman Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won seats on the Homeland Security Committee and Budget committees.
• Rep. Mike Cloud of Texas , who also flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won a new seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending. McCarthy also named him to the new select committee investigating the origins of the Covid pandemic.
• Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia , another lawmaker who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will serve for the first time on Appropriations.
• Freshman Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona , who voted "present" on the 15th ballot, will serve on the Homeland Security Committee.
• Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida , who was nominated to run against McCarthy for speaker and flipped to him on the 12th ballot, was named by McCarthy as the "speaker's designee" on the influential Steering Committee, which decides which lawmakers get committee gavels and seats. Donalds also won a coveted spot on the Financial Services Committee, a top panel known on Capitol Hill as an "A" committee.
• Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida , perhaps the most vocal McCarthy foe during the speaker fight, who flipped to "present" in the 14th round, will continue to serve on the Judiciary panel and was appointed by McCarthy to the new weaponization subcommittee .
• Rep. Bob Good of Virginia , one of the Never Kevins who flipped to "present" in the last round of voting, will serve on the Budget and Education and Workforce committees.
• Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, was reinstated by Republicans on two committees —Oversight and Natural Resources panels — after Democrats removed him two years ago for posting threats to lawmakers on social media. He was named chairman of the Natural Resources subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
• Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland , who flipped to McCarthy on the 13th ballot, will continue to serve on the Appropriations panel. Harris, a physician, will be the chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration subcommittee.
• Freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won a seats on the Oversight and Natural Resources panels.
• Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will remain on the Agriculture Committee.
• Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina , one of the Never Kevins who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, was named by the speaker as one of nine Republicans on the Rules Committee. Norman also will remain on the Financial Services panel, which he joined in June, and will serve on the Budget Committee too.
• Freshman Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, also won a seat on Financial Services.
• Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania , the chairman of the far-right House Freedom Caucus who brokered a deal between conservatives and McCarthy, will remain on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A subject of Jan. 6 investigations , Perry won a new seat on the Oversight committee.
• Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana , a Never Kevin who flipped to "present" on the final ballot, will continue to serve on Natural Resources.
• Rep. Chip Roy of Texas , who along with Perry helped negotiate a deal with McCarthy, was tapped to serve on the Budget committee and the influential Rules Committee. Roy will also keep his seat on the Judiciary panel.
• Freshman Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will serve on the Foreign Affairs panel.
• Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana , who flipped from "present" to vote for McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on the Judiciary panel.

In addition to committee assignments, McCarthy had made other concessions to his right flank.

In the package of rules changes McCarthy and the Freedom Caucus negotiated for the 118th Congress was a provision allowing a single lawmaker to force a floor vote to oust McCarthy as speaker. They also agreed to make it harder to raise federal spending, taxes and the debt ceiling, and to create select committees to investigate the Chinese Communist Party and the "weaponization of the federal government."

Some Freedom Caucus members who stuck with McCarthy from the very start also did well for themselves. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a McCarthy ally whom Democrats stripped of her committee assignments two years ago, won seats on the Oversight and Homeland Security committees.

Meanwhile, Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio, a Freedom Caucus member who nominated McCarthy on the fifth ballot , was named chairman of the Financial Services subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.

Kyle Stewart is an associate producer covering Congress for NBC News.

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The Most (And Least) Lucrative Committees In Congress

Andrea Seabrook

Alex Blumberg

This story is part of Planet Money's series on money in politics . This post was originally published on March 30. It was updated on April 6.

Most of the nitty-gritty action in Congress happens in committees.

Not surprisingly, campaign contributions flow to members of the committees that big donors are really interested in — like, say, the ways and means committee, which oversees the tax code.

This makes a huge difference to lawmakers, who need a steady stream of donations to fund their re-election campaigns.

Both parties rank each committee for its fundraising potential. There are lists of the A, B, and C committees, and fundraising targets for the members. Those lists aren't public. Many lawmakers say these lists exist, but no one would give one to us.

So we created our own list, based on publicly disclosed fundraising numbers. At our request, Lee Drutman of the Sunlight Foundation, crunched data going back to the early '90s .

The analysis found that Ways and Means is the most valuable committee for fundraising. Lawmakers on the Ways and Means committee raise an extra $250,000 a year compared to the average Congressman.

The judiciary committee was the worst. Congressmen on that committee raised $182,000 less than the average Congressman.

Here's a list of the bottom three and top three committees:

One thing this graph doesn't show: The value of being a chairman.

Being a committee chairman carries huge power in Congress. Not surprisingly, it also leads to a huge fundraising boost. But the lawmakers who land these spots are expected to raise lots of money, and turn it over to the party, which spreads it around to other members.

"Where much is given, much is required," says Rep. Jeff Flake. "You're given dues, assessments, and if you're a senior member on committees that lend themselves to fundraising, and you're either a ranking member or a chairman, then you're expected to raise a lot of money. When you come up every two years to either retain your position or move to another committee, those things are certainly taken into account"

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Committees and Caucuses

Congressman Jackson is committed to representing his constituents on various critical committees in the United States House of Representatives. His involvement in these committees enables him to better address the needs and concerns of his constituents while shaping national policy.

Below is a comprehensive list of Congressman Jonathan Jackson's current committee assignments:

House Committee on Foreign Affairs

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing and legislating on matters related to international relations, global diplomacy, and U.S. foreign policy. Congressman Jackson's service on this committee allows him to engage in crucial discussions that shape our nation's interactions with other countries.

Subcommittee on Africa

• As a member of the Subcommittee on Africa, Congressman Jackson focuses on promoting strong bilateral relationships between the United States and African nations, addressing human rights, and fostering economic development and security in the region.

House Committee on Agriculture

The House Committee on Agriculture oversees and legislates on matters related to agriculture, rural development, and the nation's food supply. Congressman Jackson's role in this committee demonstrates his commitment to supporting farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.

Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture

• In this subcommittee, Congressman Jackson works to ensure that nutritional assistance programs are efficient and effective, as well as advocating for robust agricultural trade and support for the horticulture industry.

Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development

• Congressman Jackson's participation in this subcommittee allows him to address the needs of commodity markets, promote the responsible use of digital assets, and work towards the improvement of rural communities' economic growth and infrastructure.

In addition to Congressman Jonathan Jackson's committee assignments, he is also an active member of various caucuses within the United States House of Representatives. These caucuses allow him to collaborate with like-minded colleagues and work together on shared policy objectives that impact the lives of his constituents and the nation as a whole. Here are the caucuses Congressman Jackson is involved with, listed alphabetically:

Black Maternal Mortality Caucus

• Launched by Congresswomen Alma Adams and Lauren Underwood, this caucus addresses the maternal mortality crisis in the United States and works to address racial disparities in pregnancy-related complications and infant mortality.

Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)

• Established in 1971, the CBC works to empower African Americans and marginalized communities by focusing on reforming the criminal justice system, combatting voter suppression, expanding access to education, healthcare, and technology, and strengthening protections for workers.

Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

• Established to commemorate the centennial of the Equal Rights Amendment, the ERA Caucus focuses on establishing constitutional gender equality as a national priority and partnering with a diverse coalition of advocates, activists, scholars, organizers, and public figures.

Congressional Heartland Caucus

• Launched by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, the Congressional Heartland Caucus represents the views, values, and issues of the American Heartland, including manufacturing, labor, agriculture, racial equity, rural healthcare, trade, broadband, and infrastructure.

Congressional Labor Caucus

• The Congressional Labor Caucus is committed to advancing policies that support workers and their families, promoting good jobs, protecting workers' rights, and supporting economic opportunity.

Congressional Progressive Caucus

• Comprising over 100 members of Congress, the Congressional Progressive Caucus champions progressive policy solutions such as comprehensive immigration reform, fair trade, universal healthcare, debt-free college, climate action, and a just foreign policy.

Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC)

• With over 80 members, the SEEC is dedicated to advancing policies promoting clean energy, addressing climate change, and protecting the environment.

Congressman Jonathan Jackson is committed to making a difference through his active involvement in these caucuses. By joining forces with fellow members of Congress, he is able to address a wide range of policy issues and advocate for the needs and concerns of his constituents and the nation as a whole.

A new AI-powered tool could revolutionize how lawmakers are held accountable for insider trading

• A graduate school project could transform how lawmakers are held accountable for stock trades.
• PoliWatch, developed for a UC Berkeley capstone project, helps point researchers to misconduct.
• Still in its "private beta," its founders have yet to create a business plan for it.

A group of California-based graduate students has developed an AI-powered tool to catch congressional insider trading as soon as possible. Though in its infancy, the program could be a revolutionary way for journalists, researchers, and the general public to hold public officials accountable.

For their Fall 2023 master's capstone project at UC Berkeley, Mats Dodd, Aditya Shah, Jocelyn Thai, and Connor Yen came up with the idea for PoliWatch to see if insider trading is as prevalent of an issue in Congress as many perceive it to be.

"We dug into it and were really disappointed when we found that in the last decade, there's maybe been twelve successful investigations that have led to anything," Dodd told Business Insider, adding he believes that congressional ethics committees tend to sweep infractions "under the rug."

Shah explained that PoliWatch works by feeding its system publicly available congressional stock filings, hearing schedules, committee assignments, and sponsored travel.

"We're basically contextualizing stock transactions with key information such as committee assignments, sponsored legislation, and our team of investigative experts to identify suspicious activities with ease," Shah said, noting that the tool was already able to identify when lawmakers made questionable COVID-related trades during the pandemic, which the Department of Justice investigated in 2020.

"We really see this tool as almost being like putting a magnifying glass on what's happening and letting the people see what's actually going on because it's crazy," Dodd said.

Robert Maguire, the research director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, is thrilled about the new tool's potential use cases.

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"If I'm understanding correctly with this can do, it is going to potentially revolutionize the public and journalist's ability to track the stock trades and ownership of members of Congress," Maguire said.

PoliWatch is in a "private beta" period as the project lacks outside financial support. At the moment, keeping it up and online costs the team around $500 a month. Shah said the team still plans to update and improve the product, but it's not anyone's full-time job — they haven't even incorporated a business yet for PoliWatch.

Another reason the project isn't publicly available yet is how young it is. Dodd said that for now, the team wants "a human in the loop in any outputs of our model because we want people with expertise in this area to vet information" and not have the data misconstrued.

Shah added that looking ahead, they'd like to expand PoliWatch's reach beyond congressional transactions to promote corporate accountability as well.

Congress' thorny trading history

As Business Insider's far-reaching "Conflicted Congress" investigation found in 2021, lawmakers regularly violate the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act with little consequence. Many members of Congress own shares of companies that overlap with their committee assignments.

Public sentiment toward members of Congress and their families trading stocks came to a head at the end of 2021 when then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi came out against banning the practice in a press conference.

A 2022 poll from Data for Progress found that 70% of likely voters supported a ban on congressional stock trading, with just under half saying it would make them more likely to vote for a candidate if they supported a ban.

Though bipartisan anti-congressional trading bills have been introduced in recent years, none have been brought to a vote on the House or Senate floor.

Dodd said he sees PoliWatch as a way to try and restore confidence in congressional transparency.

"In terms of building public trust and faith in the people running our country, it's at all-time lows," he said. "This could be a big boost to bring that up."

Watch: Trump's kids testify in $250M fraud case, deny all wrongdoing

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Chair Rodgers Announces Changes to E&C Republican Subcommittee Assignments

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA) today announced the following updates to Republican Members’ subcommittee assignments. 

Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN) will join the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials and leave the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce.  

Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) will serve as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.  

Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) will join the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security and leave the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce. 

Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH) will join the Subcommittee on Health and leave the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. 

Rep. Marianette Miller Meeks (R-IA) will join the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.  

Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) will join the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce and leave the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.  

Rep. John James (R-MI) will serve on the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce as well as the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials. 

The new Subcommittee Rosters are as follows:  

Subcommittee on Communications and Technology:  

• Chair Bob Latta (OH-05) 
• Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)  
• Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05) 
• Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01)  
• Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02)  
• Rep. John Curtis (UT-03)  
• Rep. John Joyce (PA-13)  
• Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14), Vice Chair 
• Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12)  
• Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01)  
• Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11)  
• Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01)  
• Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) 
• Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03)  
• Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23)  
• Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Ex Officio  

Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security:   

• Chair Jeff Duncan (SC-03) 
• Rep. Michael Burgess (TX-26)  
• Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05)  
• Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02)  
• Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09)  
• Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN-08)  
• Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05)  
• Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06)  
• Rep. John Curtis (UT-03), Vice Chair  
• Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ-08)  
• Rep. Greg Pence (IN-06)  
• Rep. Kelly Armstrong (ND-At-Large)  
• Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) 
• Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12) 
• Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12)  
• Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Ex Officio   

Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials: 

• Chair Buddy Carter (GA-01)  
• Rep. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02)  
• Rep. John Joyce (PA-13), Vice Chair  
• Rep. Greg Pence (IN-06) 
• Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01)  
• Rep. John James (MI-10) 

Subcommittee on Health:   

• Chair Brett Guthrie (KY-02) 
• Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN-08), Vice Chair  
• Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09) 
• Rep. Greg Pence (IN-06)  
• Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12) 

Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce:   

• Chair Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) 
• Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05), Vice Chair  
• Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03)  
• Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23) 

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations:   

• Chair Morgan Griffith (VA-09) 
• Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06)  
• Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), Vice Chair  
• Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Ex Officio 

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Chairman cole announces final subcommittee leadership.

Washington, D.C. – House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) today announced the final slate of subcommittee chairs for the 118th Congress, officially announcing that Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) will chair the Homeland Security Subcommittee.   Chairman Cole said , “I’m proud to partner with such a skilled and seasoned group of subcommittee chairs. Working together, we will leverage their expertise and leadership to responsibly fund the needs of the American people. I look forward to engaging with them, the entire Committee, and all of Congress as we move through the Fiscal Year 2025 process.”   Below is the updated subcommittee chair slate:

• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies  – Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies  – Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)
• Defense  – Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
• Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies  – Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)
• Financial Services   and General Government  – Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH)
• Homeland Security  – Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV)
• Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies  – Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)
• Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies  – Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
• Legislative Branch  – Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies  – Rep. John Carter (R-TX)
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs  – Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies  – Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR)

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Meeting Announcement for April 15, 2024

The Committee has reconvened.

The Committee stands in recess until approximately 9:00 PM ET.

The Committee stands in recess until the start of the last vote of this evening’s vote series.

The Committee on Rules will meet Monday, April 15, 2024 at 4 : 00 PM ET in H-313, The Capitol on the following emergency measures:

• H. Res. ____ – Condemning Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel.
• H.R. 6046 – Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act
• H.R. 6323 – Iran Counterterrorism Act of 2023
• H.R. 4691 – Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023
• H.R. 5947 – To provide for the rescission of certain waivers and licenses relating to Iran, and for other purposes.

Additionally, the Committee on Rules will meet on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 4 : 00 PM ET in H-313, The Capitol on the following previously announced emergency measure:

• H.R. 4639 – Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act

The Committee on Rules’ consideration of the following measures is postponed.

• H.R. 6192 – Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
• H.R. 7673 – Liberty in Laundry Act
• H.R. 7645 – Clothes Dryers Reliability Act
• H.R. 7637 – Refrigerator Freedom Act
• H.R. 7626 – Affordable Air Conditioning Act
• H.R. 7700 – Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act

The Committee on Rules will also meet on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 4 : 00 PM ET in H-313, The Capitol on the following emergency measure:

The Committee on Rules will meet Monday, April 15, 2024 at 4 : 00 PM ET in H-313, The Capitol on the following measures:

Editorial Roundup: Ohio

Marietta Times. April 12, 2024.

Editorial: Justified discipline

An independent, state-ordered investigation into reportedly “erratic and abusive behavior” by Ohio Rep. Elliot Forhan, D-South Euclid, has concluded legislative leaders were justified in disciplining him.

Because of accusations of confrontations with other lawmakers, constituents and lobbyists, Forhan lost all his committee assignments and was barred by House Minority Leader C. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, from contacting interns, pages and Democratic legislative aides. He also was required to have a House sergeant-at-arms accompany him while he was at the Statehouse.

But the report suggests Forhan didn’t learn his lesson, repeatedly failing to comply. He reportedly showed up at the Statehouse and a legislative office building unannounced, and yelled at the sergeant-at-arms or one of his assistants at least twice.

It seems Forhan is part of a recent crop of politicians that believes the rules do not apply to them; and that in fact the worse the behavior, the more favorable the political attention. Certainly, he’d been given little reason to believe otherwise.

But his constituents decided they’d had enough. He did not win the Democratic primary last month and his term will expire at the end of the year.

The investigation, conducted by a Columbus law firm appointed by state Attorney General Dave Yost, concluded legislative leaders were right to move quickly on Forhan, as his behavior, if left unaddressed, would have posed “a significant threat to the institutional integrity of the Ohio House and its reputation, and posed a credible risk of escalating to violence or violent conduct.”

It would be nice to think other elected officials who make their reputation by behaving like petulant children would learn from Forhan’s fate and change their tune. But we aren’t holding our breath.

Sandusky Register. April 9, 2024.

Editorial: Ohioans deserve fair elections

Supporters of a petition drive are confident they will be successful getting the needed number of valid signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to change how redistricting happens.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

If they do burn enough shoe leather and are successful, it will be the third time Ohio voters are asked to weigh in on how political districts are shaped, every 10 years.

In 2015 and in 2018, voters, by a whopping lopsided advantage, approved constitutional amendments to outlaw the practice of gerrymandering. That’s when elected officials draw the maps to favor their own re-elections, the equivalent of cheating.

Ohioans want fair elections and it was the supermajority in Columbus today that denied them fair elections in 2022 and again this year. The decks are stacked in favor of incumbents and Republicans in general. The maps are drawn to mathematically to favor one party over the other.

If the Democrats had a 30-year run on dominance in Columbus they likely would have done the same thing. But they weren’t and they didn’t. It’s the Ohio Republican Party and its leaders who derailed the will of the people, defied state law and denied Ohioans fair election when the maps were redrawn after the 2020 census.

If the petition drive is successful and the amendment is approved, elected officials will be removed from the process of redistricting. They will be barred from serving on the commission that redraws the maps, and therefore will not be able to corrupt the process the next time.

There was agreement in 2015 and 2018, and it was a bipartisan effort to change the process before. It was a goodwill initiative — approved by voters by 70%-plus margins both times — that was defied. It’s unfortunate, but likely necessary, our own elected representatives must be kept away from the process if voters in the state are ever going to have fair elections again.

That fact, alone, is why gerrymandering must be stopped.

Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. April 11, 2024.

Editorial: DeWine avoided some tough topics in speech

What Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine didn’t say in his State of the State address Wednesday was as telling as what he said.

DeWine steered clear of the culture-war fights that have come to dominate the Buckeye State’s politics. He didn’t mention abortion, the word “woke” or his dispute with his fellow Republicans over transgender care.

He barely mentioned gun violence, except to note that his administration had made state resources available to communities dealing with the problem. DeWine didn’t renew his push for the package of gun reforms he introduced in the wake of the 2019 massacre in Dayton in which a gunman killed nine people and wounded 17 others before police shot him to death.

Nor did DeWine touch on the scandal over House Bill 6, a bailout for two nuclear-power plants that was fueled by $60 million in bribes. One of the defendants accused in the scandal, Sam Randazzo, the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, was found dead Tuesday in a case being investigated as a suicide.

DeWine also barely mentioned economic development, which was something of a surprise given how much he loves to sing the praises of Intel’s $20 billion investment in a chip-manufacturing plant in central Ohio.

Economic development aside, DeWine probably avoided most of those topics because they were battles he didn’t want to fight or couldn’t win.

DeWine is staunchly pro-life, but voters rendered unconstitutional the six-week abortion ban he signed when they approved an amendment last year to the Ohio Constitution protecting abortion and other reproductive rights.

Although DeWine is conservative, he hasn’t been as engaged in the conservative culture wars as other Republicans. For example, he vetoed a bill that largely banned transgender care for minors, but statehouse Republicans overrode his veto even after he offered up some administrative rules to address their concerns.

As for gun regulation, Republicans who control both chambers of the Ohio legislature have shown little interest in DeWine’s package and it is unlikely ever to become law.

Nor was DeWine likely to discuss HB 6. He appointed Randazzo, and the scandal has haunted the edges of his administration for years. DeWine, who has denied any knowledge about the bribes, signed HB 6 into law and initially resisted repeal of its nuclear-bailout portions, which are at the heart of the scandal.

Moreover, it seems unlikely the remaining provisions, including a bailout of coal-fired power plants in Indiana and Ohio, are going to be repealed. House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, told reporters in a news conference that he was more interested in moving Ohio’s energy policy forward than in revisiting a bill passed five years ago.

Attempts at serious ethics reform in the wake of the HB 6 scandal have come to naught.

What DeWine talked about was kids, specifically ways in which the state could help them be healthy, educated and safe.

Some of his proposals were good ideas, such as a voucher system to help families pay for childcare. He said it would be available to those making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, around $60,000 for a family of four, and help about 8,000 children.

Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, later pointed out to reporters that a voucher system designed to help families send their kids to private schools was available to those making up to 450 percent of the federal poverty line, around $135,000 for a family of four.

You can see where the focus is for Ohio Republicans.

Then there’s the question of how to pay for the program, which DeWine didn’t directly explain.

DeWine talked about programs to help kids get vision screenings and to tackle sickle cell disease.

He also touted programs he said would help reduce infant mortality in 11 counties and expand community and school-based health clinics in Appalachia. We hope those programs will eventually encompass the entire state.

Some ideas DeWine floated weren’t as clear-cut.

For example, he continued his push for what he called “the science of reading,” which is heavy on phonics. That might be the best way for many students to learn to read, but there need to be alternatives for students who struggle with DeWine’s preferred method.

Likewise, DeWine’s call for a state law to encourage schools to ban or restrict students’ cellphone use during the school day is driven by good intentions, but we have reservations. There are good reasons some kids need their phones during the school day, including for medical applications and for communication with parents in an emergency.

On other issues he mentioned, such as allowing police officers to pull people over for not wearing a seat belt and banning flavored tobacco and vapes, DeWine hasn’t got much traction with his fellow Republicans.

One other area DeWine touched on also bears mentioning: He talked about finding ways to get kids trained for careers with an eye toward getting them to build their lives in Ohio.

That is indeed a worthy goal, but, as Democrats later pointed out, many young people aren’t interested in living under the culture-war-inspired ideas espoused by many Ohio Republicans.

DeWine didn’t mention that wrinkle, either.

The Vindicator. April 13, 2024.

Editorial: Property tax reform in Ohio must be priority

Many Mahoning Valley homeowners are mad over rising property taxes and vow they aren’t going to take it anymore.

They are not alone. Many residents throughout the Buckeye State have been slammed with mammoth spikes in their property tax bills this year because of the skyrocketing valuation of their homes. Those values in Mahoning County have risen on average 38% after last year’s countywide revaluation of 164,000 parcels.

To their credit, Mahoning County commissioners last week sent out a compelling letter to leaders in the Ohio General Assembly that outlined, in their words, “the profound impact of these tax hikes on residents and the urgent need for reform.”

Many homeowners told commissioners they risk displacement from their homes over their inability to pay. The impact on senior citizens, many of whom live on meager fixed incomes, has hit particularly hard.

“Many senior citizens already have to decide between taking their prescription drugs or putting food on their table,” Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said. “With the increase in property taxes in Mahoning County now, I do not want to see residents having to make a choice between paying their taxes or keeping their homes.”

Fortunately, however, it appears as if the urgent appeals of commissioners and taxpayers alike will not fall on deaf ears in Columbus, where state tax laws are written and implemented.

That’s because a panel created last year has convened with property tax relief as its top priority. To its credit, the House and Senate Joint Committee on Property Taxation Review and Reform already has conducted several productive hearings to gain insights into the scope of property tax problems and to find workable solutions.

We urge that panel to continue to work aggressively and speedily to find viable routes to lessen the burden of heightened property taxation and then recommend meaningful legislation to reform the system.

Among those giving testimony to the committee were representatives of the National Conference of State Legislatures on Feb. 28. Committee members learned that huge hikes in property taxes are not isolated to Ohio. They have become a hot potato nationwide.

Fourteen states enacted property tax relief laws in 2023, including West Virginia. Among the reforms implemented have been greatly increased property tax credits, relief payments to taxpayers, limits on the scope of allowable increases and freezing of property tax levels for senior citizens on Social Security.

Members of the joint committee in Columbus should therefore explore what options might work best for Ohio.

But it’s not only the adverse impact of sudden surges in property taxes on individual homeowners in the state that warrants fixing. This state’s broken property tax system also takes a toll on business and economic development.

Representatives of the Ohio Business Roundtable told committee members that Ohio’s single biggest challenge to greater economic competitiveness is the level of taxation and the complexity of our tax structure. Among nine peer states in the study they presented, Ohio had the third-highest per capita property tax ($207) after Michigan ($233) and Pennsylvania ($306). Clearly those rankings discourage new businesses from scouting out our turf for expansion and growth, which would translate into expansion and growth of the state’s tax base.

It is this newspaper’s hope that committee members will hear the appeals of county leaders, property taxpayers and testimonials at its hearings to draft workable and meaningful reforms.

Our optimism, however, must be guarded. After all, it’s been 27 years since the Ohio Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional the Buckeye State’s overreliance on property taxes to fund public schools in the state. Over those three decades, little structural change has occurred and as Mahoning commissioners pointed out in their letter to state leaders, “the basic inequities of the system continue to plague public schools, and we now rank 22nd in the nation in quality of education.”

The next few weeks and months will be critical for the committee to wrap up its hearings and propose meaningful reforms — preferably before the General Assembly’s long summer recess. In the event that cannot happen, lawmakers might want to give related legislation sponsored by state Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, a closer look.

Her measure, House Bill 402, would temporarily freeze 2023 property taxes throughout Ohio at 2022 levels. Those who have already paid the higher tax bills would be eligible for future credits for the difference.

Clearly, however, there’s no time to waste. The sooner Ohio adopts a more fair, equitable and affordable property tax system, the sooner the anguish and outrage of many property owners can cease.

Toledo Blade. April 12, 2024.

Editorial: Oblivious on ethics

Ignoring the worst state government corruption case in Ohio history, a scandal that deeply implicates Gov. Mike DeWine, totally undermines the governor’s rhetorical call to make this “Ohio’s finest hour.”

The 2024 State of the State address was held exactly 24 hours after the body of former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo was found hanged in a Columbus warehouse. Mr. Randazzo was facing federal and state felony charges, alleged to have used his PUCO power to aid FirstEnergy in return for a $4.3 million bribe, and is believed to have taken his own life.

The close connection between Mr. Randazzo and FirstEnergy was well known to Mr. DeWine, who ignored warnings of a clear conflict of interest to appoint Mr. Randazzo.

There is comprehensive ethics reform legislation based on the FirstEnergy bribery scandal being ignored in the legislature. House Bill 16 is sitting ignored in a House committee. Governor DeWine would have been wise to make a state government response to the corruption convictions in 2023 and the corruption cases still to be tried in part of his annual address to the legislature.

Instead, the governor kept his focus on education and health initiatives that are worthy of consideration by the General Assembly but which signal a business as usual agenda as if the cancer of corruption in the Capitol was unknown.

Mr. DeWine wants to use child care vouchers for families with incomes up to $60,000 for day care, and plans to use $85 million in federal funds to improve and expand service. He’s selling this as a plan to help businesses as more parents would be able to enter the work force.

The education initiatives in Mr. DeWine’s speech include a principals apprenticeship program to improve the school administration and a call to ban smart phones in Ohio schools as a way to regain focus from students. The governor seeks a clear career path as a graduation requirement of every Ohio high school student.

There were many other proposals positioned as crucial to the development or safety of Ohio children, including making mandatory seat belt use a primary driving law, enabling state police to make that the sole reason for a traffic stop.

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Biden hosts Czech leader at White House to promote Ukraine aid amid holdup in Congress

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

President Joe Biden, right, and Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, April 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden urged the U.S. House to immediately take up Senate-passed supplemental funding for Ukraine and Israel on Monday as he hosted Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in the Oval Office.

The visit came as Biden aimed to highlight the efforts other nations are making to support Ukraine. It followed the Czech government’s announcement that it is sending 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine, which Kyiv says is badly needed on the battlefield against Russia's invasion.

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“As the Czech Republic remembers, Russia won’t stop at Ukraine,” Biden said. He appealed to Congress to pass the supplemental funding so the U.S. could do its part to help Ukraine. “They have to do it now,” Biden said.

Fiala praised the U.S. president for his leadership in support of Ukraine, adding, “We are also doing our best.”

He said, “In 1968 I saw Russian tanks in the streets of my town, and I don’t want to see this again."

Biden called the Czech Republican a “great ally” in NATO, as Fiala said his country's decision to purchase F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. will “make our cooperation and security much stronger."

Fiala told reporters following his sit-down with Biden that he will meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to further discuss Ukraine aid.

“The support from U.S., the help from U.S. is very important," Fiala said.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.