Committee Assignments for Freshmen of the 117th Congress

Congressional Committees are where a significant amount of the policymaking happens on Capitol Hill. Committee staff work with Members’ offices to draft the legislation that is debated and voted on within the committee. This legislative process means building relationships with Members of targeted committees an imperative part of any advocacy effort.

In the first weeks of each Congress—and amended throughout the term as needed—both chambers and parties distribute committee assignments to their caucus through what are referred to as “Steering Committees,”groups of party members who determine where Members of Congress would have their experiences and interests best used. These announcements are not typically made all at once, with the two parties gradually announcing assignments at their chosen pace and volume.

Many committees dip into health policy jurisdiction in some way, so we’ve provided you with a full list of new member committee assignments. However, there are four committees in Congress that are most relevant to health care issues:

House Ways and Means Committee

The Ways and Means Committee has jurisdiction over programs providing payments (from any source) for health care, health delivery systems, or health research including matters related to the Social Security Act which makes Medicare and Medicaid legislation largely under their jurisdiction. Currently chaired by Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), the relevant Ways and Means subcommittees on health care legislation are the Subcommittees on Health and Social Security.

• • Democrats: No new freshman members
  • Republicans: No new freshman members

House Energy and Commerce Committee

The House Energy and Commerce Committee oversees health policy relating to public health, mental health, biomedical research and development; health information technology, privacy, medical malpractice, food and drug regulation, HHS, HHS, NIH, CDC and Indian Health Service, public health insurance (Medicare, Medicaid) and private health insurance(although that responsibility is shared with Ways and Means). Currently chaired by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the relevant Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health care topics is the Subcommittee on Health.

• • Democrats: No new freshman members
  • Republicans: No new freshman members

Senate Finance Committee

The Senate Finance Committee oversees health policy relating to health programs under the Social Security Act, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and other health and human services programs financed by a specific tax or trust fund. Expected to be chaired by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) in this congress, the relevant Finance subcommittees on health care topics are the Subcommittee on Health Care and the Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy.

• • Democrats: No new freshman members
  • Republicans: No new freshman members

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee

The Senate HELP Committee health related jurisdiction encompasses most of the agencies, institutes, and programs of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Administration on Aging, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Expected to be chaired by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) in this congress, the relevant HELP subcommittees on health care topics are the Subcommittee on Children and Families and the Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging.

• • Democrats: Sen. John Hickenlooper (CO), Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (NM)
  • Republicans: Sen. Tommy Tuberville (AL), Sen. Roger Marshall (KS)

Below are the committee assignments of the 117th Congress by party and chamber. This document will update as additional assignments are announced by the respective Steering Committees.

Republicans

• • Sen. Tommy Tuberville (AL): Agriculture; Armed Services; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Veterans Affairs
  • Sen. Roger Marshall (KS): Agriculture; Energy and Natural Resources; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Sen. Bill Hagerty (TN): Appropriations; Banking; Foreign Relations; Rules and Administration
  • Sen. Cynthia Lummis (WY): Banking; Commerce; Environment and Public Works
  • Rep. Jerry Carl (AL-1): Armed Services; Natural Resources
  • Rep. Barry Moore (AL-2): Agriculture; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-8): Budget; Natural Resources; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Dan Valadao (CA-21)
  • Rep. Young Kim (CA-39): Foreign Affairs; Science, Space and Technology; Small Business
  • Rep. Michelle Steel (CA-48): Education and Labor; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-50)
  • Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO-3): Budget; Natural Resources
  • Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-3): Agriculture; Homeland Security
  • Rep. Scott Franklin (FL-15): Armed Services; Oversight and Reform
  • Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19): Budget; Oversight and Reform; Small Business
  • Rep. Carlos Gimenez (FL-26): Homeland Security; Science, Space and Technology; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27): Foreign Affairs; Small Business
  • Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA-9): Homeland Security; Oversight and Reform
  • Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14)
  • Rep. Mary Miller (IL-15): Agriculture; Education and Labor
  • Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA-1): Appropriations; Budget
  • Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-2): Education and Labor; Homeland Security; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-4): Agriculture; Budget; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Victoria Spartz (IN-5): Education and Labor; Judiciary
  • Rep. Tracey Mann (KS-1): Agriculture; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Jacob LaTurner (KS-2): Homeland Security; Oversight and Reform; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Peter Meijer (MI-3): Foreign Affairs; Homeland Security; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Lisa McClain (MI-10): Armed Services; Education and Labor
  • Rep. Michelle Fischbach (MN-7): Agriculture; Judiciary; Rules
  • Rep. Matt Rosendale (MT-AL): Natural Resources; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Yvette Herrell (NM-2): Natural Resources; Oversight and Reform
  • Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-2): Homeland Security; Small Business
  • Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11): Foreign Affairs; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Madison Cawthorn (NC-11): Education and Labor; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Stephanie Bice (OK-5): Armed Services; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2): Judiciary; Natural Resources
  • Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-1): Oversight and Reform; Transportation and Infrastructure; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-1): Education and Labor; Homeland Security
  • Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-4): Armed Services; Oversight and Reform
  • Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11): Foreign Affairs; Homeland Security
  • Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13): Armed Services; Foreign Affairs
  • Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-17)
  • Rep. Troy Nehls (TX-22): Transportation and Infrastructure; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Tony Gonzales (TX-23): Appropriations
  • Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24): Small Business; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Blake Moore (UT-1): Armed Services; Natural Resources
  • Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-4): Education and Labor; Judiciary
  • Rep. Bob Good (VA-5): Budget; Education and Labor
  • Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (WI-5): Education and Labor; Judiciary; Small Business

Democrats

• • Sen. Mark Kelly (AZ): Armed Services; Energy and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works; Special Committee on Aging; Joint Economic Committee
  • Sen. Alex Padilla (CA): Budget; Environment and Public Works; Homeland Security and Government Affairs; Judiciary; Rules and Administration
  • Sen. John Hickenlooper (CO): Commerce; Energy and Natural Resource; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (NM): Agriculture; Commerce; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Indian Affairs; Budget
  • Sen. Jon Ossoff (GA): Banking; Homeland Security and Government Affairs; Judiciary; Rules and Administration
  • Sen. Raphael Warnock (GA): Agriculture; Banking; Commerce; Special Committee on Aging; Joint Economic Committee
  • Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-53): Armed Services; Foreign Affairs
  • Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-5): Financial Services; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-7): Small Business; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Kai Kahele (HI-2): Armed Services; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Marie Newman (IL-3): Small Business; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Frank Mrvan (IN-1): Education and Labor; Veterans Affairs
  • Rep. Jake Auchincloss (MA-4): Financial Services; Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Rep. Cori Bush (MO-1): Judiciary; Oversight and Reform
  • Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-3): Education and Labor; Natural Resources; House Administration
  • Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15): Financial Services; Homeland Security
  • Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY-16): Education and Labor; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Mondaire Jones (NY-17): Education and Labor; Judiciary; Ethics
  • Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-2): Judiciary; Rules; Science, Space and Technology
  • Rep. Kathy Manning (NC-6): Education and Labor; Foreign Affairs
  • Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10): Transportation and Infrastructure; Armed Services