WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans retained control of the House in this week’s election, but because of retirements and party-imposed term limits on committee chairmen, more than half a dozen committees will be getting new chairmen.
Among the lawmakers expected to serve as new leaders are some well-known names, including former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, who is expected to take the reins of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, and rising star Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who is the leading candidate to take over Oversight and Government Reform, a panel that has been an irritant to the Obama administration the past four years.
Under House rules, GOP members can only serve three terms as senior member of a committee, unless they are granted a waiver by the Republican Steering Committee, a group of party leaders under the wings of House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Major House committees getting new leaders next year:
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