Rep. Maloney decries all-male lineup of Republican House Committee chairs

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), decried the lineup of Republican committee chairs recommended by the House Republican Steering Committee and announced by Speaker John Boehner yesterday.

“Where are the women? Frank, Hal, Howard, Paul, John, Fred, Jeb, Ed, two Mikes, Bob—it’s amazing that the Republican Caucus decided that there were no suitable women available to chair a House committee,” Maloney said. “It reminds me so much of the first panel on contraception at the Oversight Committee hearing last spring where I first asked ‘Where are the women?’  This list of Republican committee chairs is yet another indication-- if any were needed-- that Republicans just don’t get the need for female points of view when conducting the people’s business.

“By way of contrast, when Democrats were in the majority, we had three women who were committee chairs-- on the Rules, Small Business, and Standards of Official Conduct committees-- in addition to my position as Chair of the Joint Economic Committee in the 111th.

“While I congratulate Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers on being elected Conference Chair-- or ChairMAN, as their announcement release puts it-- it’s extremely disappointing that no women will be leading any House Committees over the next two years. If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu. Clearly the House majority didn’t learn the lesson from the last election. The American people expect that the next two years will be better for American women than the last two.”

Background.

House Republican Steering Committee’s chairmanship recommendations for the 113th Congress were announced here: http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/boehner-statement-gop-steering-committee-recommendations-committee-chairmanships-113th

Speaker Boehner’s release about Republican Conference leadership is here: http://www.speaker.gov/video/republicans-elect-new-leadership-team-113th-congress/?ref=home