House Republicans on Thursday rewarded Rep. Greg Walden’s performance as head of the National Republican Congressional Committee by assigning him as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee next year.
The committee is expected to play a key role in repealing and finding a replacement for Obamacare, a goal shared by congressional Republicans and President-elect Trump.
Walden, a Republican from Oregon, was vying against Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., for the right to replace Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., who was term-limited out of the chairmanship.
The 36-member Republican Steering Committee named Walden and other committee chairmen on Thursday. The panel nominates chairmen, and the full House GOP Conference votes on their recommendations.
Although Speaker Paul Ryan made “democratizing” the panel a priority when he assumed the speakership from Ohio’s John Boehner last year, he still controls more votes than any other member and can use his position to sway the committee one way or the other.
Still, Ryan agreed to relinquish one of the speaker’s votes on the Steering Committee and add more regional representatives.
“It’s increased the level of accountability and transparency,” said one veteran Republican lawmaker. “I think all those changes have been well-received. It certainly has opened up that process.”
Below is the full list of GOP committee chairmanships for the next Congress:
Agriculture: Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas
Appropriations: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey
Armed Services: Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas
Budget: Rep. Tom Price of Georgia
Education and the Workforce: Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina
Energy and Commerce: Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon
Financial Services: Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas
Foreign Affairs: Rep. Ed Royce of California
Homeland Security: Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas
Judiciary: Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia
Natural Resources: Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah
Oversight and Government Reform: Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah
Science, Space and Technology: Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas
Small Business: Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio
Transportation and Infrastructure: Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania
Veterans’ Affairs: Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee
Ways and Means: Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas
