House Commerce Adds 8 Democratic Members, Changes Digital Commerce Subpanel Name
The shape of the newly majority Democrat House Commerce Committee became clearer Wednesday and Thursday with the addition of eight new committee members and confirmation of the subcommittees' jurisdictions. All six House Commerce subcommittees will have the same policy jurisdictions…
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as in the 115th Congress, but the old House Digital Commerce Subcommittee has been renamed the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, the committee said Thursday. House Consumer Protection will continue to have jurisdiction over the FTC, “consumer affairs and consumer protection, including privacy matters” and data security, among other issues, House Commerce said. The Communications Subcommittee will continue to oversee the FCC, NTIA, the Homeland Security Department's Emergency Communications Division and all “electronic communications” issues, the committee said. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., released lists Wednesday of new members to House Commerce and two other committees. The new House Commerce Democratic members are: Nanette Barragan of California, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Robin Kelly of Illinois, Ann Kuster of New Hampshire, Donald McEachin of Virginia, Tom O'Halleran of Arizona, Darren Soto of Florida and Marc Veasey of Texas. Soto and Veasey were among the Democrats known to be considered for House Commerce seats (see 1901040043). Wednesday's list didn't make clear how many total Democratic lawmakers will be on House Commerce. That reflects lack of agreement among the chamber's leaders about the Democratic to Republican ratio on all committees, lobbyists told us. That disagreement is preventing the selection of House Commerce subcommittees' ranking members and the naming of new committee GOP members, committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., told us. House GOP leaders are pushing for 25 minority party seats on House Commerce, up one from the 24 that Democrats held on the committee as the minority party during the last Congress, Walden said. That would likely mean he will need to fill two GOP vacancies. “I have a pretty good idea about who I'm going to choose” to be the lead Republicans on the subcommittees, but those selections “will be announced later,” Walden said. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, is considered the favorite to be House Communications ranking member, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., is thought to have an edge for the top GOP spot on House Consumer Protection.