u.s. house committee assignments 2023

118th Congress Begins

Representative Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House. He will preside over the chamber for the next two years. Photo by Ike Hayman.

Representative Hakeem Jeffries was elected Minority Leader, becoming the first Black person to lead a major political party in Congress. Photo by Ike Hayman.

440 lawmakers, including 74 new freshmen Members, were sworn in on January 7, 2023. Photo by Ike Hayman.

Members were sworn into office on January 7, 2023

Members-elect were sworn in as Members of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 118th Congress.

Early Saturday morning, on January 7, 2023, Representative Kevin McCarthy (CA-20) was elected Speaker of the House. He will preside over the chamber for the next two years.

"As Speaker of the House, my ultimate responsibility is not to my party, my conference, or even our Congress. My responsibility — our responsibility — is to our country," Speaker McCarthy told the chamber.

Representative Steve Scalise (LA-01) was elected Majority Leader. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) was elected Minority Leader, becoming the first Black person to lead a major political party in Congress. 

After his remarks, Speaker McCarthy then swore in the rest of the lawmakers, including 74 new freshman Members.

More details about the Members of the House of Representatives are available from the  Clerk of the House .  Find your representative  and learn more about  visiting the Capitol .

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U.S. House leadership elections, 2023-2024

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On October 25, 2023, the United States Congress elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as speaker of the House. Johnson was elected in the fourth round of floor voting conducted since the House voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on October 3. McCarthy was initially elected in the 15th round of floor voting on January 7, 2023, and his removal as speaker marked the first time in United States history a motion to vacate was used to remove a speaker of the House.

The following Republicans were elected to other U.S. House leadership positions by their caucus in November 2022:

• Steve Scalise , majority leader [1]
• Tom Emmer , majority whip [2]
• Elise Stefanik , Republican Conference chairman [3]
• Gary Palmer , Republican Policy Committee chairman [4]
• Richard Hudson , National Republican Congressional Committee chairman [4]

The following Democrats were elected to U.S. House leadership positions by their caucus in November 2022:

• Hakeem Jeffries , minority leader [5]
• Katherine Clark , minority whip [6]
• Pete Aguilar , Democratic Caucus chairman [7]
• James Clyburn , assistant leader [8]

Each party elects leadership responsible for leading the party's conference, setting legislative agendas, marshaling support for bills, and directing committee assignments, among other duties. [9]

The speaker of the House, who presides over sessions of the chamber and is second in the line of presidential succession, is typically elected on the first day the new Congress convenes. Other leadership positions are elected in meetings of the conference prior to the start of a new Congress. [9]

The 118th Congress convened on January 3, 2023.

• 1.1 May 2024: Failed motion to vacate
• 1.2.1 Detailed vote totals
• 1.3.1 Detailed vote totals
• 1.3.2 Background
• 1.3.3 Media coverage
• 1.4 Speaker of the House elections decided by multiple ballots
• 2 Democratic leadership
• 3.1 Majority whip election
• 3.2 Republican Conference chair election
• 5.1 Historical speakers
• 6 Duties of U.S. House leadership
• 8 Footnotes

Speaker of the House

On May 8, 2024, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to vacate, aiming to remove Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) from his position as Speaker of the House. The House voted 359-43 against the motion, with 163 Democrats and 196 Republicans voting against, 11 Democrats and 32 Republicans voting in favor, and seven Democrats voting present. [10]

The speaker of the House is typically elected on the first day the new Congress convenes. According to the Congressional Research Service, "The long-standing practice of the House is that electing a Speaker requires a numerical majority of the votes cast by Members 'for a person by name.' This does not mean that an individual must necessarily receive a majority of the full membership of the House, because some Members may not be present to vote (or may instead answer 'present')." If a candidate is not selected on the first vote, the vote is repeated until a speaker is selected. [11]

May 2024: Failed motion to vacate

On May 8, 2024, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to vacate, aiming to remove Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) from his position as Speaker of the House. The House voted 359-43 against the motion, with 163 Democrats and 196 Republicans voting against, 11 Democrats and 32 Republicans voting in favor, and seven Democrats voting present. [12]

While announcing the motion, Greene said, "Mike Johnson is ill-equipped to handle the rigors of the job of Speaker of the House, and has allowed a uni-party, one that fuels foreign wars, tramples on civil liberties, and increases our disastrous national debt, to take complete control of the House of Representatives." [13]

Following the vote, Johnson said, "I want to say that I appreciate the show of confidence from my colleagues to defeat this misguided effort, that is certainly what it was. As I’ve said from the beginning and I’ve made clear here every day, I intend to do my job, I intend to do what I believe to be the right thing, which is what I was elected to do, and let the chips fall where they may. In my view, that is leadership." [14]

October 2023: Motion to vacate and speaker election

On October 2, 2023, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) filed a motion to vacate, aiming to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position as Speaker of the House. [15] On October 3, the House voted 208-218 on tabling the motion to vacate, meaning a vote on the motion was allowed to proceed. [16] The House then voted 216-210 to remove McCarthy from his position as speaker of the House, marking the first time in United States history a motion to vacate was used to remove a speaker of the House. [17] [18] Following the vote, McCarthy said he would not seek re-election as speaker. [19]

Republicans held their first caucus election for a speaker of the House nominee on October 11. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) defeated Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) 113-99 in the caucus' secret ballot vote. [20] Scalise withdrew as the nominee the following day. [21] [22] [23] On October 13, Jordan defeated Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) 124-81 in the second Republican caucus vote for a speaker nominee. [24] [25] [26]

The House held the first floor vote for speaker on October 17. After three rounds of voting with no speaker elected, the Republican caucus voted to remove Jordan as their speaker nominee on October 19. [27] Republicans held their third caucus vote for a new speaker on October 24. Nine representatives announced candidacies for speaker nominee: Reps. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), Jack Bergman , (R-Mich.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), and Dan Meuser (R-Pa.). [28] [29] [30] [31] Meuser and Palmer withdrew from the race before voting began. [32] [33]

On October 24, Emmer defeated Johnson 117-97 in the fifth round of Republican caucus voting, making him the Republican caucus' third speaker nominee. [34] Emmer withdrew as the nominee later that day. [35] Republicans held another caucus vote on the 24th, where Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) won the nomination. [36]

On October 25, 2023, the House voted 220-209 to elect Johnson as speaker of the House.

See the table below for a summary of each round of floor voting. [37]

Detailed vote totals

• 208 Republicans voted in favor of tabling the motion to vacate.
• Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Cory Mills (R-Fla.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.).
• Two Republicans, Reps. John R. Carter (R-Texas) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) did not vote.
• 207 Democrats voted against tabling the motion to vacate.
• Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).
• 210 Republicans voted against the motion to vacate.
• Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.).
• Reps. John R. Carter (R-Texas), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.).
• 208 Democrats voted for the motion to vacate.
• Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), and Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio).

This was the 16th time in United States history that an election for speaker advanced past the first round of voting. It last occurred in January 2023, when Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was elected speaker on the 15th ballot.

The first roll call vote was as follows:

• 200 Republicans voted for Jordan.
• Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.), Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.).
• Reps. Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Nicholas J. LaLota (R-N.Y.).
• Reps. Mario Diaz Balart (R-Fla.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Kay Granger (R-Texas), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Steve Womack (R-Ark.).
• Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Texas).
• Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.).
• Rep. John James (R-Mich.).
• Rep. Victoria Spartz .
• 212 Democrats voted for Jeffries.
• Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.).

LaMalfa changed his vote from McCarthy to Jordan, Spartz changed her vote from Massie to Jordan, and Bilirakis, who was absent during the first round of voting, voted for Jordan. Buchanan changed his vote from Jordan to Donalds, Ferguson changed his vote from Jordan to Scalise, Miller-Meeks changed her vote from Jordan to Granger, and Stauber changed his vote from Jordan to Westerman. Kelly changed his vote from Scalise to Boehner. James changed his vote from Cole to Miller. No other individuals changed their votes.

The second roll call vote was as follows:

• 199 Republicans voted for Jordan.
• Reps. Mario Diaz Balart (R-Fla.), Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Kay Granger (R-Texas), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), and Steve Womack (R-Ark.).
• Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.), and Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.).
• Reps. Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), and Nicholas J. LaLota (R-N.Y.).
• Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.)
• Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.).
• Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa).
• Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.).

Fitzpatrick changed his vote from Jordan to McHenry, Kean changed his vote from Jordan to McCarthy, and Molinaro changed his vote from Jordan to Zeldin. Bacon, Chavez-DeRemer, Kiggans, and Lawler changed their votes from McCarthy to McHenry. Miller-Meeks changed her vote from Granger to McHenry. James changed his vote from Miller to Donalds. Kelly changed his vote from Boehner to Scalise. Hunt and Van Orden voted for Jordan in the last round and were absent this round, and Gonzalez and Payne voted for Jeffries last round and were absent this round. No other individuals changed their votes.

The third roll call vote was as follows:

• 194 Republicans voted for Jordan.
• Reps. Mario Diaz Balart (R-Fla.), Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Kay Granger (R-Texas), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), and Steve Womack (R-Ark.).
• Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.), Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa)
• Reps. Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Nicholas J. LaLota (R-N.Y.), and Marcus Molinaro (R-N.Y.)
• Reps. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), Thomas Kean Jr. (R-N.J.)
• Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and John James (R-Mich.).
• 210 Democrats voted for Jeffries.
• Reps. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) and Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.)
• Reps. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) and Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.)
• 220 Republicans voted for Johnson.
• 209 Democrats voted for Jeffries.
• Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.)
• Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas).

January 2023: Regular speaker election

In January 2023, the U.S. House held its regular election for speaker of the House at the start of the 118th Congress . Voting began on January 3, and ended on January 7. McCarthy was elected speaker of the House in a 216-212 vote during the 15th round of voting.

See the table below for an overview of each round of voting.

Expand the tabs below to see more detail on each round of voting.

On January 3, 2023, three candidates were nominated for speaker in the first round of voting: Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.). McCarthy was the Republican nominee, and Jeffries was the Democratic nominee. No candidate received enough votes in the first round of voting to be elected speaker. [39]

This was the 15th time in United States history that an election for speaker advanced past the first round of voting. It last occurred in 1923. Click here for a full list of speaker elections that advanced to multiple rounds of voting.

• 203 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• Biggs, Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.).
• Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), and Keith Self (R-Texas).
• One Republican, Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), voted for Jim Banks (R-Ind.).
• One Republican, Andy Harris (R-Md.), voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.).
• One Republican, Chip Roy (R-Texas), voted for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).

A second vote was held on January 3, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Jordan were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the second round of voting to be elected speaker.

All the representatives-elect who voted for Biggs in the first round changed their votes to Jordan. Brecheen changed his vote from Banks to Jordan, Harris changed his vote from Zeldin to Jordan, and Roy changed his vote from Donalds to Jordan. No other individuals changed their votes.

The second roll call vote was as follows: [39]

• Biggs, Bishop, Boebert, Brecheen, Cloud, Clyde, Crane, Gaetz, Good, Gosar, Harris, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Rosendale, Roy, and Self.

A third vote was held on January 3, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Jordan were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the third round of voting to be elected speaker.

Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) changed his vote from McCarthy to Jordan. No other votes changed.

The third roll call vote was as follows: [39]

• 202 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• Biggs, Bishop, Boebert, Brecheen, Cloud, Clyde, Crane, Donalds, Gaetz, Good, Gosar, Harris, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Rosendale, Roy, and Self.

A fourth vote was held on January 4, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Donalds were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the fourth round of voting to be elected speaker.

All the representatives-elect who voted for Jordan in the third round voted for Donalds in the fourth round of voting. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) changed her vote from McCarthy to present. No other votes changed.

The fourth roll call vote was as follows: [40]

• 201 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• One Republican, Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), voted present.

A fifth vote was held on January 4, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Donalds were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the fifth round of voting to be elected speaker.

The fifth vote was the first time during this speaker election that all representatives-elect voted the same as they did in the previous round of voting.

The fifth roll call vote was as follows: [40]

• One Republican, Spartz, voted present.

A sixth vote was held on January 4, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Donalds were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the sixth round of voting to be elected speaker.

All representatives-elect voted the same in the sixth round of voting as they did in the fifth.

The sixth roll call vote was as follows: [40]

A seventh vote was held on January 5, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Donalds were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the seventh round of voting to be elected speaker.

Gaetz changed his vote from Donalds to Donald Trump (R-Fla.). All other representatives-elect voted the same in the seventh round of voting as they did in the sixth.

The seventh roll call vote was as follows: [41]

• Biggs, Bishop, Boebert, Brecheen, Cloud, Clyde, Crane, Donalds, Good, Gosar, Harris, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Rosendale, Roy, and Self.
• One Republican, Gaetz, voted for Donald Trump (R-Fla.).

An eighth vote was held on January 5, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Donalds were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the eigth round of voting to be elected speaker.

Boebert and Brecheen changed their votes from Donalds to Kevin Hern (R-Okla.). All other representatives-elect voted the same in the eighth round of voting as they did in the seventh.

The eighth roll call vote was as follows: [41]

• Biggs, Bishop, Cloud, Clyde, Crane, Donalds, Good, Gosar, Harris, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Rosendale, Roy, and Self.
• 2 Republicans, Boebert and Brecheen, voted for Kevin Hern (R-Okla.).

A ninth vote was held on January 5, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, Donalds, and Hern were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the ninth round of voting to be elected speaker.

Gaetz changed his vote from Trump to Hern. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the ninth round of voting as they did in the eighth.

The ninth roll call vote was as follows: [41]

• 200 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• 3 Republicans, Boebert, Brecheen, and Gaetz, voted for Kevin Hern (R-Okla.).
• One Republican, Ken Buck (R-Colo.), did not vote.

A tenth vote was held on January 5, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, Donalds, and Hern were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the tenth round of voting to be elected speaker. [42] [43]

Biggs, Crane, Harris, and Rosendale changed their votes from Donalds to Hern. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the tenth round of voting as they did in the ninth. [42]

The tenth roll call vote was as follows: [42]

• Bishop, Cloud, Clyde, Donalds, Good, Gosar, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Roy, and Self.
• Biggs, Boebert, Brecheen, Crane, Gaetz, Harris, and Rosendale.
• One Republican, Buck, did not vote.

An eleventh vote was held on January 5, 2023. No candidate received enough votes in the eleventh round of voting to be elected speaker. [42]

Gaetz changed his vote from Hern to Trump. Good changed his vote from Donalds to Hern. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the eleventh round of voting as they did in the tenth. [42]

The eleventh roll call vote was as follows: [42]

• Bishop, Cloud, Clyde, Donalds, Gosar, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Roy, and Self.
• Biggs, Boebert, Brecheen, Crane, Good, Harris, and Rosendale.
• One Republican, Gaetz, voted for Trump.

A twelfth vote was held on January 6, 2023. McCarthy, Jeffries, Jordan, and Hern were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the twelfth round of voting to be elected speaker. [44]

Bishop, Cloud, Clyde, Gosar, Donalds, Luna, Miller (IL), Norman, Ogles, Perry, Roy, and Self changed their votes from Donalds to McCarthy. Brecheen changed his vote from Hern to McCarthy. Besides Donalds, who voted for McCarthy in the first two rounds, this was the first time these representatives-elect cast votes for McCarthy.

Spartz changed her vote from present to McCarthy. Gaetz changed his vote from Trump to Jordan. Biggs, Good, and Harris changed their votes from Hern to Jordan. David Trone (D-Md.) voted for Jeffries in the eleventh round, and did not vote in the twelfth. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the twelfth round of voting as they did in the eleventh.

The twelfth roll call vote was as follows: [44]

• 211 Democrats voted for Jeffries.
• 213 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• Biggs, Gaetz, Good, and Harris.
• Boebert, Crane, and Rosendale.
• Two Republicans, Buck and Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), did not vote.
• One Democrat, David Trone (D-Md.), did not vote

A thirteenth vote was held on January 6, 2023. McCarthy and Jeffries were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the thirteenth round of voting to be elected speaker. [44]

Harris changed his vote from Jordan to McCarthy. This was the first time Harris voted for McCarthy. Boebert, Crane, and Rosendale changed their votes from Hern to Jordan. Trone, who did not vote in the previous round, voted for Jeffries. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the thirteenth round of voting as they did in the twelfth.

The thirteenth roll call vote was as follows: [44]

• 214 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• Biggs, Boebert, Crane, Gaetz, Good, and Rosendale.

A fourteenth vote was held on January 6, 2023. McCarthy and Jeffries were nominated. No candidate received enough votes in the fourteenth round of voting to be elected speaker. [45]

Crane and Rosendale changed their votes from Jordan to Biggs. Boebert and Getz changed their votes from Jordan to present. Buck and Hunt, who did not vote in the 13th vote, voted for McCarthy. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the fourteenth round of voting as they did in the thirteenth.

The fourteenth roll call vote was as follows: [45]

• 216 Republicans voted for McCarthy.
• Biggs and Good.
• Crane and Rosendale.
• 2 Republicans (Boebert and Getz) voted present.

A fifteenth vote was held on January 7, 2023. McCarthy and Jeffries were nominated. McCarthy received enough votes in the fifteenth round of voting to be elected speaker. [46]

Biggs and Good changed their votes from Jordan to present. Crane and Rosendale changed their votes from Biggs to present. All other representatives-elect voted the same in the fifteenth round of voting as they did in the fourteenth.

The fifteenth roll call vote was as follows: [46]

• 6 Republicans (Biggs, Boebert, Crane, Getz, Good, and Rosendale) voted present.

McCarthy was selected as the Republican nominee for speaker of the House in a 188-31 Republican conference vote on November 15, defeating Rep. Biggs. [47] On December 6, Biggs announced he would still run in the Jan. 3, 2023, speakership election on the House floor. [48]

Along with Biggs, Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Bob Good (R-Va.), and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) expressed opposition to McCarthy's bid for speaker. [49] As of January 3, Republicans were set to gain a 222-212 majority in the House, with one formerly Democratic seat vacant.

A speaker candidate needs to win a majority of votes cast for a person by name. If the representatives opposing McCarthy cast present votes or didn't cast a vote, the majority threshold a speaker candidate requires would be lowered. [50] This last occurred in 2021 , when Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) won the speakership with only 216 votes, two votes short of the 218 that normally constitutes a majority in the 435-member chamber. Because only 427 representatives voted for someone by name, 214 votes were required for the speaker to be elected that year. If the members opposing McCarthy cast their votes for someone else, this would mean that no speaker candidate received a majority in the first vote. [50] In this case, the vote would be repeated until a candidate received a majority. This last occurred in 1923, when Rep. Frederick Huntington Gillett (R) was elected speaker after the 9th round of voting. [51]

The Washington Post 's Aaron Blake wrote, "to the extent that their opposition is more than a momentary protest, they could make the party confront the challenge of finding an alternative who can get to 218 votes or a majority." [50]

The Associated Press ' Kevin Freking and Farnoush Amiri wrote, "While McCarthy is expected to prevail in his quest for the speaker’s gavel, it is destined to come at a political price. [...] Every new commitment from McCarthy can be seen as a potential strategic move, intended to quell skeptics on his right flank as he reaches for the speaker’s gavel." [52]

McCarthy served as minority leader in the 116th and 117th Congress . He announced his bid for speaker on November 9, saying: "I will be a listener every bit as much as a Speaker, striving to build consensus from the bottom-up rather than commanding the agenda from the top-down. That means putting the right people in the right spots and harnessing the power of our entire conference." [53]

Biggs announced he would also seek the speakership on November 14. In an interview with Newsmax , Biggs said "We have a new paradigm here, and I think the country wants a different direction from the House of Representatives. [...] But this is not just about Kevin. I think it’s about the institutional direction and trajectory." [54]

Media coverage

Click the links below to view media coverage of the January 2023 speaker election.

• Associated Press , "McCarthy elected House speaker in rowdy post-midnight vote"
• Brookings Institution , "McCarthy paid a steep price for his Speakership—Now what?"
• FiveThirtyEight , "Republicans Didn’t Get Less Popular After All That Speaker Drama — They Were Already Unpopular"
• Fox News , "The vote for House speaker"
• National Review , "McCarthy Wins Speakership on 15th Attempt, Breaking Historic Impasse after Late-Night Drama"
• New York Post , "Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker on the 15th vote, most since before the Civil War"
• The New York Times , "McCarthy Wins Speakership on 15th Vote"
• NPR , "Historic House speaker showdown highlighted matters of race and representation"
• PBS , "McCarthy elected House speaker after chaotic votes in late-night session"
• Reuters , "Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker, but at a cost"
• The Wall Street Journal , "Speaker Fight Could Preview Months of Turmoil in Congress"
• The Washington Post , "Kevin McCarthy elected House Speaker, breaking historic deadlock"

Speaker of the House elections decided by multiple ballots

The table below lists all speaker of the House elections decided by multiple ballots.

Democratic leadership

Democratic leadership elections took place on November 30, 2022. [55] The election for assistant leader was delayed until December 1.

The following representatives were elected to leadership positions in the 118th Congress :

• Hakeem Jeffries , minority leader : Jeffries was elected without opposition, becoming the first Black representative to lead a party in congress. [56]
• Katherine Clark , minority whip : Clark was elected without opposition. [57]
• Pete Aguilar , Democratic Caucus chairman : Aguilar was elected without opposition. [58]
• James Clyburn , assistant leader : Clyburn was elected without opposition. David Cicilline had announced he would seek the position, but withdrew his candidacy on December 1. [59]

Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on November 17 that she would not seek election to a leadership post in the 118th Congress . [60] She had led the Democratic caucus in the U.S. House since 2003. [61] [62] Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the former majority leader, also announced he would not seek a leadership position, and The Hill reported that James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the former majority whip, would seek the position of assistant leader. [63]

On November 18, Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) announced his candidacy for minority leader, Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) announced her candidacy for minority whip, and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said he would seek the position of Democratic Caucus chair. [64]

Republican leadership

Republican leadership elections took place on November 15, 2022. [65]

• Steve Scalise , majority leader : Scalise was re-elected without opposition. [66]
• Tom Emmer , majority whip : Emmer defeated Jim Banks 115-106. [67] Click here to read more about this election .
• Elise Stefanik , Republican Conference chairman : Stefanik defeated Byron Donalds 144-74. [3] Click here to read more about this election .
• Gary Palmer , Republican Policy Committee chairman : Palmer was re-elected without opposition. [4]
• Richard Hudson , National Republican Congressional Committee chairman : Hudson was elected without opposition. [4]

Majority whip election

Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) was elected majority whip in the second round of voting with 115 votes to Rep. Jim Banks ' (R-Ind.) 106. Three candidates ran in the first round: Banks, who received 82 votes, Emmer, who received 72 votes, and Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), who received 71 votes. Ferguson was eliminated after the first round of voting.

Emmer announced his bid for majority whip on November 9, saying he would "incorporate a culture of teamwork, communication, and respect that will once again be the driving force behind an operation focused on one thing: winning." His endorsements for the role included Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus , and Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio), chairman of the Republican Governance Group. [68]

Banks also announced his bid for majority whip on November 9, saying "I am running to be majority whip for our entire conference. I’m asking for your support because I want to listen and to be your voice." [69] He was endorsed for the role by Concerned Women for America. [68]

Ferguson said in a letter to colleagues announcing his bid that his "vision for the operation is a proactive, data-driven approach to tackle difficult issues and ensure members have what they need to make an informed vote for their constituents and the country." Ferguson served as chief deputy whip in the 117th Congress . [70]

Republican Conference chair election

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) was re-elected Republican conference chair on November 15, defeating Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) 144-74. [3] Stefanik served in this position for part of the 117th Congress , filling the vacancy left by Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). In 2021, she defeated Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) in the election for the position 134-46. [71]

Stefanik announced her re-election bid on September 13, saying, "I am proud to have unified the entire Republican Conference around our country in crisis message and shattered fundraising records as House GOP Conference Chair raising over $10M for candidates and committees this cycle." [72]

Donalds also announced his bid on September 13, saying, "I found conservatism 14 years ago. And I found it because the policies I saw coming out of Washington were not going to help America. And I think that that perspective and that background can only help our ranks grow as a party." [72]

According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), leaders in the United States House of Representatives are typically "elected by the [minority or majority] party caucus or conference at organizational meetings prior to the start of a new Congress." Candidates for leadership positions must receive a simple majority vote within their caucus or conference in order to win election to the role.

The only leadership position that receives a formal vote on the House floor is speaker of the House. The vote is held on the first day of a new session of congress, which usually takes place on January 3 of odd-numbered years. In order to win election as speaker, a candidate must receive a simple majority of votes among members who vote for a candidate by name. Per CRS, "the majority party’s candidate is typically elected on a party line vote." [73]

Historical leadership in Congress

Heading into the 2023 leadership elections, the following U.S. representatives held leadership positions: [74]

• Nancy Pelosi (D), speaker of the House
• Steny Hoyer (D), majority leader
• James Clyburn (D), majority whip
• Katherine Clark (D), assistant speaker
• Hakeem Jeffries (D), Democratic Caucus chairman
• Kevin McCarthy (R), minority leader
• Steve Scalise (R), minority whip
• Elise Stefanik (R), Republican Conference chairman
• Gary Palmer (R), Republican Policy Committee chairman

Historical speakers

The table below shows a list of speakers of the House from 1789 to present.

Duties of U.S. House leadership

The following brief descriptions of the duties of U.S. House leadership in the 117th Congress come from the official website of the U.S. House of Representatives : [74]

• Speaker of the House : Elected by the whole of the House of Representatives, the Speaker acts as leader of the House and combines several roles: the institutional role of presiding officer and administrative head of the House, the role of leader of the majority party in the House, and the representative role of an elected member of the House. The Speaker of the House is second in line to succeed the President, after the Vice President.
• Majority leader : Represents the majority party on the House floor.
• Majority whip : Assists leadership in managing the majority party's legislative program.
• Assistant speaker : Assists the Majority Leader.
• Republican leader / Democratic leader : Represents Republicans or Democrats on the House floor.
• Republican whip / Democratic whip : Assists leadership in managing party's legislative program.
• United States Congress elections, 2022
• United States Senate elections, 2022
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2022
• 118th United States Congress
• United States Congress
• United States Senate
• United States House of Representatives
• ↑ Twitter , "Jake Sherman on November 15, 2022," accessed November 15, 2022
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Twitter , "Jake Sherman on November 15, 2022," accessed November 15, 2022
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Roll Call , "McCarthy backed for speaker, but has work to do before January," November 15, 2022
• ↑ Twitter , "Jamie Dupree on November 30, 2022," accessed November 30, 2022
• ↑ Twitter , "Heather Caygle on November 30, 2022," accessed November 30, 2022
• ↑ The Hill , "Cicilline withdraws, clearing path for Clyburn to remain in leadership," December 1, 2022
• ↑ 9.0 9.1 Congressional Research Service , "Party Leaders in the House: Election, Duties, and Responsibilities," accessed November 11, 2022
• ↑ Congress.gov , "H.Res.1209 - Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant." accessed May 9, 2024
• ↑ Congressional Research Service , "Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions," November 24, 2020
• ↑ Twitter , "Marjorie Taylor Greene on May 8, 2024," accessed May 9, 2024
• ↑ Office of Mike Johnson , "Speaker Johnson Remarks Following Failed Motion To Vacate," May 9, 2024
• ↑ Associated Press , "Rep. Matt Gaetz files motion to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, throwing House into new turmoil," October 3, 2023
• ↑ House Clerk , "Roll Call 518 Bill Number: H. Res. 757," accessed October 3, 2023
• ↑ C-SPAN , "House Session, Part 2," October 3, 2023
• ↑ House Clerk , "Roll Call 519 Bill Number: H. Res. 757," accessed October 3, 2023
• ↑ The Hill , "McCarthy won’t run for Speaker again," October 3, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Olivia Beavers on October 11, 2023," accessed October 11, 2023
• ↑ NPR , "Scalise drops out of race for speaker of the House, leaving Congress in limbo," October 12, 2023
• ↑ Politico , "Jordan becomes first to announce run for speaker," October 4, 2023
• ↑ The New York Times , "Scalise and Jordan Announce Bids for Speaker as Vacancy Paralyzes the House," October 4, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Scott on October 13, 2023," accessed October 13, 2023
• ↑ NPR , "Jim Jordan makes second bid for speaker," October 13, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Olivia Beavers on October 13, 2023," accessed October 13, 2023
• ↑ The Washington Post , "House Republicans vote to drop Jim Jordan as speaker nominee," accessed October 20, 2023
• ↑ The Hill , "Floodgates open: Here’s who’s running for Speaker as GOP seeks third nominee," accessed October 21, 2023
• ↑ The Hill , "Emmer sends ‘Dear Colleague’ letter officially announcing Speaker bid," accessed October 21, 2023
• ↑ Alabama Reporter , "Alabama U.S. Rep. Palmer seeking to become Speaker of the House," accessed October 23, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Dan Meuser", accessed October 23, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Jordain Carney on October 23, 2023," accessed October 24, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Gary Palmer on October 24, 2023," accessed October 24, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Olivia Beavers on October 24, 2023," accessed October 24, 2023
• ↑ Twitter , "Olivia Beavers", accessed October 24, 2023
• ↑ The New York Times , "Live Vote Count: Tracking the House Speaker Vote," October 17, 2023
• ↑ This includes all votes cast for a candidate who received one vote at most in all rounds of voting.
• ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 C-SPAN , "Opening Day of the 118th Congress," January 3, 2023
• ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 C-SPAN , "House Session," January 4, 2023
• ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 C-SPAN , "House Session," January 5, 2023
• ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 42.5 New York Times , "Live Vote Count: Tracking the House Speaker Votes," January 5, 2022
• ↑ C-SPAN , "U.S. House of Representatives House Session Tenth Vote for Speaker," January 5, 2023
• ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 C-SPAN , "House Session," January 6, 2023
• ↑ 45.0 45.1 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives , "Roll Call 18," January 6, 2023
• ↑ 46.0 46.1 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives , "Roll Call 20," January 7, 2023
• ↑ Axios , "Rep. Andy Biggs challenges McCarthy for speaker," December 6, 2022
• ↑ The Hill , "WHIP LIST: McCarthy searches for 218 GOP Speakership votes," November 25, 2022
• ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 The Washington Post , "Kevin McCarthy’s speaker math," November 18, 2022
• ↑ History, Art & Archives United States House of Representatives , "Speaker Elections Decided by Multiple Ballots," accessed November 30, 2022
• ↑ PBS , "Here’s what McCarthy faces as he looks to become the next House speaker," November 28, 2022
• ↑ Office of the Republican Leader , "Letter," November 9, 2022
• ↑ The Hill , "Rep. Andy Biggs to challenge McCarthy for Speaker," November 14, 2022
• ↑ Twitter , "Chad Pergram on November 10, 2022," accessed November 10, 2022
• ↑ CNN , "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will not run for a leadership post," November 17, 2022
• ↑ House.gov , "Speakers of the House by Congress," accessed November 17, 2022
• ↑ House.gov , "Minority Leaders of the House (1899 to present)," accessed November 17, 2022
• ↑ The Hill , "Hoyer won’t seek House leadership, Clyburn eyeing run for No. 4 spot," November 17, 2022
• ↑ The Hill , "Jeffries announces bid for House Democratic leader," November 18, 2022
• ↑ The Hill , "Trump backs McCarthy for Speaker, Stefanik for House GOP chair," November 8, 2022
• ↑ 68.0 68.1 The Hill , "House GOP campaign chair launches bid for whip leadership post," November 10, 2022
• ↑ Twitter , "Olivia Beavers on November 9, 2022," accessed November 15, 2022
• ↑ RollCall , "GOP prepares for leadership vote after disappointing midterms," November 14, 2022
• ↑ The Texas Tribune , "U.S. Rep. Chip Roy loses bid to replace Liz Cheney as third-ranking House Republican," May 14, 2021
• ↑ 72.0 72.1 Politico , "It's a race for House GOP No. 3 next year — but a lopsided one," September 14, 2022
• ↑ Congressional Research Service , "Party Leaders in the House: Election, Duties, and Responsibilities," November 5, 2018
• ↑ 74.0 74.1 United States House of Representatives , "Leadership," accessed November 19, 2020
• Marquee, analysis page, 2022
• U.S. House leadership elections
• Congressional leadership elections

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Democrats await key decisions on House Appropriations seats

Hoyer’s return to the committee would bring the total number of Democrats to 27, leaving no room for new members if Aguilar stays on. 

However, Adam B. Schiff , D-Calif., could throw a wrinkle into the committee membership if he decides to return to Appropriations, where he retains seniority rights from taking leave to serve on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Speaker Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., has vowed to remove Schiff from the Intelligence Committee, where Schiff has served as top Democrat since 2015. 

Jeffries wrote to McCarthy on Saturday urging the speaker, who makes appointments to the Intelligence Committee, to seat Schiff on it. 

Schiff signaled earlier this month that he was not eyeing a return to Appropriations, saying he is fully focused on remaining on Intelligence. A Schiff spokeswoman said McCarthy needs to formally remove him from the committee before the office is ready to discuss other potential committee assignments.  

Schiff is also on leave from the Judiciary Committee and could return to his seniority there instead of Appropriations if he loses his Intelligence seat. Democrats hopes McCarthy makes an announcement soon so they can resolve where Schiff and fellow California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell , whom McCarthy is also planning to boot from the Intelligence panel, will land. 

If Schiff returns to Appropriations, Joseph D. Morelle , D-N.Y., could lose his spot as the least-senior member. Morelle was appointed in September after former Rep. Charlie Crist , D-Fla., resigned to focus on his ultimately unsuccessful campaign for governor. 

Schiff’s return could also shake up the lineup of subcommittee ranking members. He would have the seniority to be the top Democrat on the State-Foreign Operations panel, a role currently held by  Barbara Lee of California. Both Schiff and Lee are expected to run for Senate. 

Regardless of Schiff’s decision, there likely won’t be room for new members on Appropriations, despite Democrats requesting seats on the popular panel. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota sent a letter earlier this month expressing her interest in serving on the Appropriations Committee to “fight for investments in education, public health, the environment, infrastructure,” among other priorities. 

Omar wrote that she understands Appropriations seats are typically reserved for more senior members, but she believes she offers “a bold vision and unique background” that would benefit her as an appropriator “either in the 118th or in future Congresses.”

Omar also wants to continue serving on the Foreign Affairs and Education panels, but House Republicans are expected to try to vote her off Foreign Affairs. 

Ways and Means

House Ways and Means is keeping the same split it had last Congress, which means 25 seats for Republicans in the majority and 18 spots for Democrats now in the minority. Three Democrats on the panel didn’t seek reelection, so Democrats are left with 22 returning committee members.

After Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan F. Boyle took over as the top Democrat on the Budget Committee this year, he’s expected to step off Ways and Means but continue accruing seniority, which would account for one lost seat.

Democrats are expected to decide the remaining three exits based on seniority, but keep any members booted off involved in tax, trade and other issues before Ways and Means. A seniority-based decision would mean  Jimmy Gomez of California and  Steven Horsford of Nevada, along with Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett , would likely lose their spots.

Gomez and Horsford joined the panel in the same year as other Democrats, but have less seniority based on when they were elected to the House. Ways and Means includes four other California Democrats but no other lawmakers from Nevada.

Plaskett was the most recent Democratic addition to Ways and Means. Democrats tapped her for the seat in late 2020, and she touted her addition as the first delegate from a territory to be placed on the coveted panel. At the time, Plaskett pointed to the committee’s work on a range of issues, including the “rum cover over” that funnels rum tax revenue to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

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What the 21 McCarthy holdouts got in committee assignments

WASHINGTON — The 21 House Republicans who initially blocked Rep. Kevin McCarthy from winning the speakership had demanded big changes to House rules, but they also wanted more influence on the congressional committees that will set the GOP agenda over the next two years.

While not every holdout got exactly what he or she had asked for, some won plum committee assignments from McCarthy, R-Calif., and his allies after they helped him secure the speaker's gavel , a process that took 15 rounds of voting.

As part of his deal with detractors, McCarthy named three conservative rabble rousers — Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — to the influential Rules Committee, which decides how exactly bills come to the House floor.

Here's what we know so far:

• Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona , a former head of the Freedom Caucus and one of the five so-called Never Kevins , will keep his spots on the powerful Judiciary and Oversight committees. He was also named chairman of Judiciary's subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance. Biggs changed his vote to "present" on the final ballot for speaker, helping push McCarthy over the finish line.
• Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina , one of 13 holdouts who flipped to back McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on both the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. McCarthy also named Bishop to Judiciary's new subcommittee on the "Weaponization of the Federal Government."
• Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado , a vocal McCarthy critic who voted "present" on the 14th and 15th ballots, was awarded a seat on the Oversight and Accountability Committee, which plans to launch numerous investigations into the Biden administration. She will continue to serve on the Natural Resources panel, on which she served in the previous Congress.
• Freshman Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won seats on the Homeland Security Committee and Budget committees.
• Rep. Mike Cloud of Texas , who also flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won a new seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending. McCarthy also named him to the new select committee investigating the origins of the Covid pandemic.
• Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia , another lawmaker who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will serve for the first time on Appropriations.
• Freshman Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona , who voted "present" on the 15th ballot, will serve on the Homeland Security Committee.
• Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida , who was nominated to run against McCarthy for speaker and flipped to him on the 12th ballot, was named by McCarthy as the "speaker's designee" on the influential Steering Committee, which decides which lawmakers get committee gavels and seats. Donalds also won a coveted spot on the Financial Services Committee, a top panel known on Capitol Hill as an "A" committee.
• Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida , perhaps the most vocal McCarthy foe during the speaker fight, who flipped to "present" in the 14th round, will continue to serve on the Judiciary panel and was appointed by McCarthy to the new weaponization subcommittee .
• Rep. Bob Good of Virginia , one of the Never Kevins who flipped to "present" in the last round of voting, will serve on the Budget and Education and Workforce committees.
• Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, was reinstated by Republicans on two committees —Oversight and Natural Resources panels — after Democrats removed him two years ago for posting threats to lawmakers on social media. He was named chairman of the Natural Resources subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
• Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland , who flipped to McCarthy on the 13th ballot, will continue to serve on the Appropriations panel. Harris, a physician, will be the chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration subcommittee.
• Freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won a seats on the Oversight and Natural Resources panels.
• Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will remain on the Agriculture Committee.
• Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina , one of the Never Kevins who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, was named by the speaker as one of nine Republicans on the Rules Committee. Norman also will remain on the Financial Services panel, which he joined in June, and will serve on the Budget Committee too.
• Freshman Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, also won a seat on Financial Services.
• Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania , the chairman of the far-right House Freedom Caucus who brokered a deal between conservatives and McCarthy, will remain on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A subject of Jan. 6 investigations , Perry won a new seat on the Oversight committee.
• Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana , a Never Kevin who flipped to "present" on the final ballot, will continue to serve on Natural Resources.
• Rep. Chip Roy of Texas , who along with Perry helped negotiate a deal with McCarthy, was tapped to serve on the Budget committee and the influential Rules Committee. Roy will also keep his seat on the Judiciary panel.
• Freshman Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will serve on the Foreign Affairs panel.
• Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana , who flipped from "present" to vote for McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on the Judiciary panel.

In addition to committee assignments, McCarthy had made other concessions to his right flank.

In the package of rules changes McCarthy and the Freedom Caucus negotiated for the 118th Congress was a provision allowing a single lawmaker to force a floor vote to oust McCarthy as speaker. They also agreed to make it harder to raise federal spending, taxes and the debt ceiling, and to create select committees to investigate the Chinese Communist Party and the "weaponization of the federal government."

Some Freedom Caucus members who stuck with McCarthy from the very start also did well for themselves. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a McCarthy ally whom Democrats stripped of her committee assignments two years ago, won seats on the Oversight and Homeland Security committees.

Meanwhile, Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio, a Freedom Caucus member who nominated McCarthy on the fifth ballot , was named chairman of the Financial Services subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.

Kyle Stewart is a field producer covering Congress for NBC News.

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Committees and Caucuses

In addition to their other responsibilities, Members of Congress are appointed by the Majority and Minority Leaders to serve on House committees. Committees are small groups of Members, both Democrats and Republicans, who hold committee hearings and debate legislation specific to the focus-area of that committee .

A committee is usually the first stop for a bill. So, for example, if a bill is focused on Wall Street regulation, it will usually first be debated by the Committee on Financial Services – because Wall Street regulation falls within that committee’s ‘jurisdiction.’ If a majority of Members of that Committee vote to support the bill, then it will go to the House floor where all Representatives vote on it.

Although Members can request which committee they serve on, they are not guaranteed a spot. House Leadership will sometimes appoint a Member to a committee because it aligns with their professional expertise or their district’s interest - for example, several Members of the House Armed Services Committee are veterans or represent districts with large military bases. Since committees can dictate which legislation makes it to the floor for a larger vote, there is sometimes intense competition for committee spots, and then seniority or more political considerations dictate who House Leadership chooses for those spots.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez serves on The Committee of Oversight and Reform , which is the main investigative committee in the House. In January 2023, she was selected as the Vice Ranking Member — the #2 spot for Democrats on the committee. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has used these committee hearings to pressure big pharma into bringing down the price of prescription drugs. Under the Trump administration, she also led President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen to state on the record that President Trump was engaging in tax fraud and to name other potential witnesses. And more famously, it was through an Oversight and Reform Hearing, that Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez pressured Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook’s failure to fact-check political advertising.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez also serves as a first-time member on The Committee on Natural Resources and as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources . This committee considers legislation about American energy production, mineral lands and mining, fisheries and wildlife, public lands, oceans, irrigation and more. Already, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has used her time on the Natural Resources Committee to propose an amendment requiring the collecting of public health data in response to new drilling on federal lands .

Unlike Committees, Members can usually join a Caucus without being appointed and there’s no limit on the number of members. Caucuses generally serve to build voting coalitions . For example, in 2019, the Congressional Progressive Caucus had enough of their Members willing to withhold their votes from a bill that gave big giveaways to major pharmaceutical companies– that House leadership was forced to alter the bill to protect employer-sponsored health plans from drug spikes, among other changes.

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus , the Democratic Women’s Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus , the Congressional Progressive Caucus , the LGBT Equality Caucus , Congressional Bangladesh Caucus and the Quiet Skies Caucus   - a caucus in support of reducing aircraft noise pollution. The Congresswoman represents the community surrounding LaGaurdia Airport.

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OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 1 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 2 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 3 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 4 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 5 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 6 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 7 of 8

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. George Santos Exhibits 8 of 8

On May 1st, 2023, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Rep. George Santos.

Nature of the Review

Rep. Santos may have omitted or misrepresented required information in his candidate financial disclosure statements or Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) candidate committee reports. If Rep. Santos failed to disclose or misrepresented required information in his candidate financial disclosure statements or FEC candidate committee filings, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

Rep. Santos’s congressional campaign committee, Devolder-Santos for Congress (the “campaign committee”), reported expenditures that may not have been made for bona fide campaign or political purposes. If Rep. Santos converted campaign committee funds to personal use, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

Rep. Santos’s campaign committee may have accepted excessive contributions in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have been Rep. Santos’s personal funds. If Rep. Santos’s campaign committee accepted personal loans and contributions that exceeded campaign contribution limits, then Rep. Santos may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

On February 3, 2023, a prospective congressional aide accused Rep. Santos of sexual harassment. If Rep. Santos sexually harassed or discriminated against the complainant, or engaged in an effort to intimidate, take reprisal against, or otherwise discriminate against the complainant for opposing such treatment, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

OCE Recommendation

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Santos because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Santos may have omitted or misrepresented required information in his candidate financial disclosure statements or FEC candidate committee reports.

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Santos because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Santos’s congressional campaign committee reported expenditures that may not have been made for bona fide campaign or political purposes.

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Santos because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Santos’s campaign committee may have accepted excessive contributions in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have been Rep. Santos’s personal funds.

The Board recommended that the Committee dismiss the above allegation concerning Rep. Santos because there is not substantial reason to believe that Rep. Santos sexually harassed or discriminated against the complainant, or engaged in an effort to intimidate, take reprisal against, or otherwise discriminate against the complainant for opposing such treatment.

Committee Action

On March 2, 2023, the Committee on Ethics  announced  it had established an Investigative Subcommittee (ISC) on February 28, 2023, to conduct an inquiry into whether Representative George Santos may have:

• engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign;
• failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House;
• violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services;
• and/or engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office.

On June 22, 2023, the Committee on Ethics released a  statement  announcing it had expanded the jurisdiction of the ISC’s inquiry to align with the May 9, 2023 Department of Justice indictment against George Santos and that it is in communication with the Department of Justice to mitigate the potential risks of dual investigations while still meeting the Committee’s obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House.

On October 31, 2023, the Committee on Ethics released a  statement  announcing that its next course of action on this matter would be announced on or before November 17, 2023.

On November 16, 2023, the Committee on Ethics released a  statement  announcing that the Committee unanimously voted to refer the substantial evidence of potential violations of federal criminal law to the Department of Justice for such further action as it deems appropriate. The Committee on Ethics also released the  Committee Report  in the Matter of Allegations Relating to Representative George Santos which included the ISC Report and the OCE Report to the Committee on Ethics referring the matter for further review.

H.R. 6132: Awning Safety Act of 2023

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The text of the bill below is as of Apr 26, 2024 (Reported by House Committee).

Union Calendar No. 391

118th CONGRESS

[Report No. 118–472]

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 1, 2023

Mr. Balderson (for himself and Ms. Castor of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

April 26, 2024

Additional sponsors: Mr. Turner and Mr. Wenstrup

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a mandatory consumer product safety standard with respect to retractable awnings.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Awning Safety Act of 2023 .

Consumer product safety standard for retractable awnings

Consumer product safety standard required

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall promulgate, under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, a final consumer product safety standard for fixed and freestanding retractable awnings within the jurisdiction of the Commission to protect against the risk of death or serious injury related to the hazards associated with such awnings, including the risk of death or serious injury related to the awning unexpectedly opening and striking a person while removing the bungee tie-downs for the cover of the awning.

CPSC determination of scope

The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall specify the types of retractable awning devices within the jurisdiction of the Commission that are within the scope of subsection (a) as part of a standard promulgated under this section, as reasonably necessary to protect against hazards associated with retractable awnings.

Treatment of standard

A consumer product safety standard promulgated under subsection (a) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under sections 7 and 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2056 and 2058).

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