Thune unveils Senate GOP committee assignments

Published

1 year ago

December 21, 2024

Incoming Senate GOP Leader John Thune late Friday night unveiled the Republican conference’s committee assignments for next term.

A press release from Thune’s office noted the assignments “have been ratified by the Senate Republican Conference and are expected to be ratified by the full Senate early next Congress.”

Here’s who’s where:

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee

John Boozman (R-Ark.)
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
John Hoeven (R-N.D.)
Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
Jim Justice (R-W.Va.)
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
John Thune (R-S.D.)
Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Senate Appropriations Committee

Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
John Hoeven (R-N.D.)
John Boozman (R-Ark.)
Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
John Kennedy (R-La.)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)
Katie Britt (R-Ala.)
Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)
Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

Senate Armed Services Committee

Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)
Ted Budd (R-N.C.)
Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)
Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.)

Senate Banking Committee

Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
John Kennedy (R-La.)
Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)
Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)
Katie Britt (R-Ala.)
Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)
Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)
Dave McCormick (R-Pa.)

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
John Thune (R-S.D.)
Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
Todd Young (R-Ind.)
Ted Budd (R-N.C.)
Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)
John Curtis (R-Utah)
Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)
Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.)
Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Mike Lee (R-Utah)
John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
Jim Justice (R-W.Va.)
Dave McCormick (R-Pa.)
Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
John Hoeven (R-N.D.)

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)
John Curtis (R-Utah)
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)
Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
John Boozman (R-Ark.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Senate Finance Committee

Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
John Thune (R-S.D.)
Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
James Lankford (R-Okla.)
Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
Todd Young (R-Ind.)
John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)
Dave McCormick (R-Pa.)
Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)
John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Mike Lee (R-Utah)
Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
John Curtis (R-Utah)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)
Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
James Lankford (R-Okla.)
Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)
Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

Senate Judiciary Committee

Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Mike Lee (R-Utah)
Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
John Kennedy (R-La.)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)
Katie Britt (R-Ala.)
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)

Senate Committee on Intelligence

Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Susan Collins (R-Maine)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
James Lankford (R-Okla.)
Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
Todd Young (R-Ind.)
Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

Senate Aging Committee

Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
Dave McCormick (R-Pa.)
Jim Justice (R-W.Va.)
Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

Senate Budget Committee

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Mike Lee (R-Utah)
John Kennedy (R-La.)
Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)
Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)
Rick Scott (R-Fla.)

Senate Indian Affairs Committee

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
John Hoeven (R-N.D.)
Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)
Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Joint Economic Committee

Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)
Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
Ted Budd (R-N.C.)
Dave McCormick (R-Pa.)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)
Katie Britt (R-Ala.)
John Boozman (R-Ark.)

Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
Todd Young (R-Ind.)
Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
Ted Budd (R-N.C.)
John Curtis (R-Utah)
Jim Justice (R-W.Va.)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
John Boozman (R-Ark.)
Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.)

Senate Ethics Committee

James Lankford (R-Okla.)
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)

La Shawn Ford wins Dem primary to succeed Illinois Rep. Danny Davis

Published

6 hours ago

March 18, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

CHICAGO — Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford won a crowded and contentious Democratic primary Tuesday to succeed longtime Rep. Danny Davis, who backed him as his successor.

The primary battle drew national attention and a flood of outside spending as 13 candidates sought the Democratic nomination following Davis’ retirement announcement. The contest became increasingly hostile in its final weeks with the involvement of five outside political action committees, including a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the crypto-funded super PAC Fairshake.

The crypto group spent nearly $2.5 million against Ford, targeting him for backing state legislation that puts restrictions on the industry. Ford, who said the TV ads and mailers spread misinformation about him, sent Fairshake a cease and desist letter a week before the primary.

Davis knocked on doors, rallied supporters and circulated a “Dear Colleague” letter to members of the Congressional Black Caucus on behalf of Ford.

The historically Black seat in the state’s 7th district represents racially and economically diverse communities, from downtown Chicago to areas of the city’s South and West sides and then west to suburban communities.

Ford, a state legislator who ran for Chicago mayor in 2019, currently represents the city’s Austin neighborhood and nearby suburbs. On the campaign trail, he told voters he would continue Davis’ legacy and work to seek federal funding to boost health services and college test-prep programs in the district.

Other candidates in the race included City of Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin — the AIPAC-aligned group’s preferred candidate — real estate executive Jason Friedman, emergency room physician Thomas Fisher, labor leader Anthony Driver Jr., former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin and progressive activist Kina Collins.

Congress

White House releases DHS funding offer

Published

11 hours ago

March 17, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The White House on Tuesday released a letter detailing changes it is willing to make to the Department of Homeland Security as it looks to secure a deal with Democrats to end the nearly five-week long partial government shutdown.

The move is the Trump administration’s attempt to show it is making a good faith effort after Democrats derided their proposal as unserious and comes as staffing issues at the Transportation Security Administration grow more acute — leading to longer wait times at airports across the country.

The White House, in five points, said it was willing to codify a number of policy changes, including an expansion of the use of body cameras for federal immigration agents; the limit of enforcement in certain sensitive locations, including hospitals and schools; greater oversight of DHS detention facilities; the enforcement of visible officer identification and the adherence to existing law prohibiting the deportation or detention of U.S. citizens.

“We feel that this offer is serious — that it is a good faith attempt to continue to try to come to a reasonable and expeditious conclusion to the shutdown, which we are now seeing is becoming ever more disruptive on Americans’ travel plans, as well as the security mission at the department,” said a senior White House official granted anonymity to describe the private talks.

The White House offer includes some public safety exceptions for the policy changes. For sensitive locations, there is a carve-out for “national security, flight risks and public safety,” and undercover officers would not have to display identification. Undercover officers would also not be required to wear body cameras.

The proposal also doesn’t address two of Democrats main concerns: requiring officials to obtain a judicial warrant before entering private property and prohibiting federal agents from wearing masks. Administration officials have previously said the warrants are a redline.

“We’re trying to move a little bit, but they’ve got to get serious. They are not getting serious,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday. “The key issues of warrants when you bust in someone’s house. The key issue of identity, of police and no masks. They haven’t budged on that.”

Spokespeople for Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the White House letter.

It’s the first time in the monthslong negotiation that the White House has released details about its proposal. Republicans have been eager for the White House to share details of its offers to validate their view that the administration had moved toward Democrats on some issues.

The White House letter argued that the majority of Democrats’ demands would “make it impossible to fully protect American citizens from dangerous criminal aliens and expose law enforcement and their families to increasing threats of violence.”

The senior White House official said that at this time, there are no plans for President Donald Trump to meet with Schumer or Democrats to discuss the impasse. The president has tapped border czar Tom Homan — who co-signed the letter with James Braid, the White House director of the Office of Legislative Affairs — to take the lead on working on the policy changes to end the government shutdown.

“There are a lot of technical issues that have to be worked out” for a White House meeting to be a “productive exercise,” the senior official said. “Although, of course, the president is going to make that decision, and at any time, that could be something that does occur.”

Congress

Senate bills survive

Published

12 hours ago

March 17, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Threats from some hard-right House Republicans to block any Senate bill until the SAVE America Act passes appear to be falling flat.

A bill from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to reauthorize small business grant programs passed 345-41 Tuesday, a day after another Senate bill, aimed at recovering Nazi-looted art, passed on a voice vote.