Upton Announces Subcommittee Chairs and Vice Chairs for the 113th Congress
After Again Being Ratified as Energy and Commerce Chairman, Upton Identifies Leadership Team and Key Priorities for 113th Congress
Washington, DC,
Nov 28 -
After once again being selected by his colleagues to serve as Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI) today announced the committee leadership he intends to appoint for the 113th Congress and commented on key priorities for the future. Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) will succeed Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) leading the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) will take the helm of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee from outgoing Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL). Upton also announced that Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) will serve as the full committee Vice Chair, a position previously held by Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC).
The committee's leadership team is expected to be rounded out by returning members including Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus (R-IL), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), and Chairman Emeritus Joe Barton (R-TX). Upton also intends to name five new subcommittee Vice Chairs, including tapping Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), for the key slot on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, in addition to his current role as Vice Chair of the Health Subcommittee. Burgess is a physician with extensive oversight experience who will play a significant role in the continued oversight of the Affordable Care Act.
“I am grateful to my colleagues for continuing to place their trust in me and the entire Energy and Commerce team. We have a talented group of leaders with the experience, expertise, and diverse backgrounds that make us well positioned for the important work that lies ahead in the next Congress,” said Chairman Upton. “We delivered a slate of bipartisan achievements to be proud of in the 112th Congress, including key legislation that has been signed into law to create jobs, spur innovation, and protect consumers. I applaud all of our members for their hard work, and I especially extend heartfelt gratitude for the contributions of our departing members. I am confident the Energy and Commerce Committee will continue this record of accomplishment as we welcome new members to the panel and elevate members to new positions of leadership.”
The Energy and Commerce Committee leadership team for the 113th Congress is expected to include:
Full Committee
Chair: Fred Upton (R-MI)
Vice Chair: Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Chairman Emeritus: Joe Barton (R-TX)
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
Chair: Lee Terry (R-NE)
Vice Chair: Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
Communications and Technology
Chair: Greg Walden (R-OR)
Vice Chair: Bob Latta (R-OH)
Energy and Power
Chair: Ed Whitfield (R-KY)
Vice Chair: Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Environment and the Economy
Chair: John Shimkus (R-IL)
Vice Chair: Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
Health
Chair: Joe Pitts (R-PA)
Vice Chair: Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX)
Oversight and Investigations
Chair: Tim Murphy (R-PA)
Vice Chair: Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX)
(NOTE: Republican committee members must be officially ratified by the GOP Conference. A final committee membership list will be released when available.)
“For the last two years, Energy and Commerce has been a productive and inclusive committee that prioritized successful legislating and substantive investigations and oversight,” said Upton. “From fighting regulations that destroy jobs to passing landmark FDA and spectrum reforms and improving pipeline safety, nearly every bill reported out of our committee, as well as those passed by the House, enjoyed bipartisan support.
“Jobs are, and will continue to be, job one. We must strive for a smaller, modernized government geared for the innovation era, where the obsolete programs of yesterday are abandoned for fresh approaches that unleash growth and advancement in all sectors - communications, health, manufacturing, and energy. We must also stand up for families, communities, and successful civic initiatives that are working at the state and local level.”
Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn added, “We will do everything we can to protect job creators from harmful and economically destructive regulations and identify opportunities to put Americans back to work. That includes pursuit of a visionary, all-of-the-above approach to energy that proudly embraces all of our natural resources including coal, oil and gas, nuclear, and renewables. With recent breakthroughs in technology, North American energy independence is within our grasp.
“We will continue our work identifying savings in the health system and eliminating unaffordable new programs in the ongoing effort to help reduce the cost of health care. Thoughtful, rigorous oversight will also remain a hallmark of our committee in the next Congress as we fight government waste and abuse and ensure that the interests of American taxpayers are always being put first.”
Upton concluded, “With a $16 trillion debt, we simply must confront our economic, fiscal, and structural challenges head on - entitlement reform, spending cuts, and tax reforms are a responsible and necessary way forward. Our very economic foundation is at risk if we do not get our fiscal house in order. We have much work to do.”
