As Congress scurries to finish up business before the end of the year, Members of the 112th are already making preparations for the new Congress that begins right after the holidays. One very important development from this week is the appointment of the new standing committee chairmen – a team we hope will aggressively pursue comprehensive spending reductions and fiscal restraint in the New Year.
Agriculture: Frank Lucas (OK)
Appropriations: Hal Rogers (KY)
Armed Services: Buck McKeon (CA)
Budget: Paul Ryan (WI)
Education and Labor: John Kline (MN)
Energy and Commerce: Fred Upton (MI)
Financial Services: Spencer Bachus (AL)
Foreign Affairs: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL)
Homeland Security: Peter King (NY)
Judiciary: Lamar Smith (TX)
Natural Resources: Doc Hastings (WA)
Oversight and Government Reform: Darrell Issa (CA)
Science and Technology: Ralph Hall (TX)
Small Business: Sam Graves (MO)
Transportation and Infrastructure: John Mica (FL)
Veterans: Jeff Miller (FL)
Ways and Means: Dave Camp (MI)
While we’re thrilled with some of the choices, there are others that give us some cause for reservation. Nonetheless, we look forward to working with these new leaders as we all seek to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington. They have obviously done a good job of pitching themselves to the House Republican Steering Committee, but we’ll hold judgment (good or bad) until we see actual results delivered in the 112th.
Additionally, Representative Ron Paul was named Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology. This is particularly significant from our perspective because we, too, have been outspoken critics of the Federal Reserve. As I wrote in a November blog post, Representative Paul promised to swiftly examine the Fed’s monetary policy if he won the gavel. Hopefully, now, he’ll have his chance.