WASHINGTON — Republicans could have received management of the Home by solely the slimmest of margins, however in a chamber that operates purely by majority rule, their razor-thin edge has given all of them the instruments they should plunge the Biden administration right into a morass of investigations.
Wielding gavels and subpoena energy, the Republicans set to chair influential Home committees have pledged to bedevil the president on a litany of points, together with the overseas enterprise dealings of his son Hunter, safety on the southern border, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Justice Division’s initiative to deal with threats of violence and harassment directed at college directors and college board members.
On the identical time, they may face calls from their conservative base — and an influential clutch of hard-liners in Congress — to question a phalanx of officers, from Mr. Biden himself to the vice chairman and cupboard secretaries.
And at the least a few of them might want to discover a method to produce laws — at a minimal, payments to fund the federal government — that may make it via the Democratic-led Senate and be signed by Mr. Biden.
Whereas Home Republicans made modest beneficial properties in diversifying this yr, their senior ranks replicate the overwhelmingly white, male make-up of their convention. The get together is on monitor to haven’t any individuals of coloration main committees — a notable shift from Home Democrats, who’ve six Black lawmakers, two Latino legislators and an Asian American one in these posts. Republicans are additionally set to have solely two or three ladies main committees, down from the seven Democratic ladies who now maintain gavels.
Right here’s a have a look at a number of the key gamers.
APPROPRIATIONS
Consultant Kay Granger of Texas
The primary feminine mayor of Fort Price and 13-term congresswoman is on monitor to turn out to be the primary Republican girl to take the helm of the highly effective Appropriations Committee, which controls authorities spending.
It can fall to her to steer a dozen funding payments via the Home within the face of opposition from anti-spending Republicans, which can more than likely entail negotiating with Democrats to win the required votes and keep away from a presidential veto.
Whereas Ms. Granger has at instances opposed short-term spending laws below the Biden administration, she has repeatedly lobbied for will increase in navy spending and investments within the F-35 fighter jets which might be inbuilt her district.
Armed Companies
Mike D. Rogers of Alabama
The deeply conservative 11-term congressman is in line to turn out to be the chairman of the panel, which has traditionally operated in a bipartisan method.
Mr. Rogers, who was one of many key architects in Congress of the House Pressure, has referred to as for the Biden administration to extend navy spending. Because the chief of the committee, he will probably be chargeable for guaranteeing the passage of the annual protection invoice, which directs navy coverage and descriptions the Pentagon funds every year.
power and commerce
Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington
The previous chair of the Home Republican Convention is in line to turn out to be the primary girl to steer the panel, one in all three main investigative committees within the chamber.
A New U.S. Congress Takes Form
Following the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats maintained management of the Senate whereas Republicans flipped the Home.
Ms. McMorris Rodgers has pledged to make use of her perch to scrutinize the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, together with bringing Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the president and a favourite goal of Republicans, earlier than her panel. Oversight of Dr. Fauci’s actions, she has stated, “will proceed previous his departure and till the American individuals have the solutions they want.”
She has additionally indicated she’s going to dig into TikTok, after not too long ago teaming up with Consultant James R. Comer, the Kentucky Republican who’s prone to lead the Oversight Committee, to ship the social media firm a letter elevating considerations that it supplied deceptive info to Congress about its information sharing and privateness practices with the Chinese language authorities.
Overseas Affairs
Michael T. McCaul of Texas
A former federal prosecutor is poised to chair the panel, which is predicted to steer an investigation into the Biden administration’s dealing with of the precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan. The investigation is prone to give attention to the planning within the run-up to the evacuation, botched efforts to evacuate Afghan interpreters and contractors who aided the U.S. authorities, and the implications of the withdrawal.
A longtime China hawk, Mr. McCaul has stated his prime precedence is to assist the US counter a rising Beijing, together with toughening export controls of delicate navy know-how and bolstering arms gross sales to Taiwan.
Mr. McCaul has been a vocal supporter of navy assist to Ukraine, suggesting that he may use his gavel to assist counter the rising tide of anti-interventionist voices in his get together clamoring to reduce or reduce off assist solely. He has stated his panel will train extra oversight into the place the help goes.
Judiciary
Jim Jordan of Ohio
Few Republicans are prone to play a bigger function within the new Congress than the founding chairman of the right-wing Home Freedom Caucus and seven-term congressman who’s in line to turn out to be the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
An ally of former President Donald J. Trump, Mr. Jordan has gone from a possible opponent of Consultant Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, to a supporter of Mr. McCarthy’s bid to turn out to be speaker.
oversight
James R. Comer of Kentucky
The previous state legislator and agriculture commissioner from Kentucky who has served in Congress for six years has been eagerly awaiting his probability to steer a big selection of investigations with the subpoena energy that comes with Republican management of the Home.
Mr. Comer has stated he has obtained the contents of a laptop computer owned by Hunter Biden, the president’s son, whose enterprise actions are below federal investigation.
Mr. Comer and Mr. Jordan held a information convention on Capitol Hill not too long ago detailing their plans to take the inquiry’s focus past the youthful Mr. Biden. “That is an investigation of Joe Biden,” Mr. Comer stated.
Along with the Biden household’s companies, Mr. Comer has stated his committee will examine the administration’s dealing with of the southwest border, the origins of Covid-19, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and whether or not there was mismanagement of pandemic aid funds, amongst different issues.
“The American individuals need accountability in Washington and Republicans are able to ship,” he stated in an announcement.
Methods and Means
Contested
Three Republicans are competing to steer the committee chargeable for setting the nation’s tax and commerce coverage.
Consultant Jason Smith of Missouri, the highest Republican on the Price range Committee, is in search of to leap to Methods and Means, the place he might play a extra outstanding function within the debate over the right way to deal with the looming insolvency of applications like Social Safety and Medicare. Mr. Smith has vowed to steer oversight of the Inner Income Service and craft tax and commerce laws that strengthens the US’ place in opposition to China, an aide stated.
Consultant Vern Buchanan of Florida has additionally made clear he desires the submit, having chaired a number of subcommittees and demonstrated a prolific fund-raising means on behalf of the Home Republican marketing campaign arm. Mr. Buchanan has burdened his expertise as a enterprise proprietor and has championed making the 2017 Republican tax regulation everlasting.
Consultant Adrian Smith of Nebraska can also be working for the place, highlighting his coverage credentials and the work he has performed on the committee since 2010. He has additionally been concerned in finishing up a bipartisan commerce settlement with Mexico and Canada.
Homeland Safety
Contested
Consultant Mark E. Inexperienced of Tennessee, a former Military Ranger medic who was a part of the mission that captured Saddam Hussein, is dealing with off in opposition to Consultant Daniel Crenshaw of Texas, a former Navy SEAL officer, for the gavel. Whoever prevails will play a job in what main Republicans have promised will probably be an aggressive investigation, and potential impeachment, of Mr. Mayorkas and the administration’s border insurance policies.
Each Mr. Inexperienced and Mr. Crenshaw are two-term congressman who’re deeply conservative and have navy backgrounds. Mr. Inexperienced is a member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, whereas Mr. Crenshaw has scrapped with the hard-right flank of his get together.
Each have stated they intend to carry the Biden administration accountable for the immigration disaster on the southern border, in addition to work to strengthen the federal government’s method to cybersecurity.
Stephanie Lai contributed reporting.