January 24, 2019
Members of the 116th U.S. Congress were sworn in to office on January 3, 2019. Taking the majority in the House, Democrats are now chairing House committees with Republicans serve as ranking members. Through a combination of retirements and losses, House Committees with jurisdiction over science have seen significant changes in leadership.
In the House, Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) moved from ranking member to chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) is now ranking member. On the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), a long time champion for behavioral and brain sciences will assume the gavel and Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) will serve as ranking member.
On the Senate side, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) is ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, following the defeat of Bill Nelson (D-FL). Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) will chair the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) will continue as ranking member. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) will continue to lead the Labor Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee (LHHS) with jurisdiction over the National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Education Sciences.
In other Congressional news, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) announced the he will not seek re-election in 2020. He serves as Chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which oversees NIH. Sen. Lamar also serves as a member of the LHHS Appropriations subcommittee.
