Oversight Subcommittee Leaders Unveiled

By Robert Brodsky

House Republicans and Democrats unveiled their selections this week for the top slots on the newly restructured subcommittees of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., announced the GOP's selections for committee chairmanships on Tuesday. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the committee's new ranking member, issued a list of Democrat ranking members on Thursday.

Freshman Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., will serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy, while Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., will serve as the panel's top Democrat. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the federal civil service, pay and benefits, the Postal Service and labor policy.

Rep. Todd Platts, R-Pa., will chair the Subcommittee on Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management, while the Oversight Committee's former chairman, Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., will serve as ranking member. The subcommittee will oversee government management, operations and efficiency, federal property and reorganizations of the executive branch.

Committee leaders also announced that:

• The Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives will be led by Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., will be the ranking member.
• The Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations will be led by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah. Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass., will be the ranking member.
• The Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending will be chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Fellow Ohio lawmaker Dennis Kucinich will be the ranking member.
• The Subcommittee on TARP, Financial Services and Bailouts of Public and Private Programs will be chaired by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-N.C. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill, will be the ranking member.
• The Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform will be chaired Rep. James Lankford, R-Ok. Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., whose district includes a host of federal contractors, will serve as ranking member.

The full Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold its first hearing on Jan. 26 on "Bailouts and the Foreclosure Crisis: Report of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program." Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, have been invited to testify.