Meet the 2017 House Energy & Commerce Committee

Posted on:

January 26, 2017

One of the committees on Capitol Hill that plays a critical role in ACCA’s efforts to transform our legislative and regulatory priorities for the Trump Administration and 115^th Congress from goals into achievements is the House Committee on Energy & Commerce (E&C Committee). With the critical role of this committee plays to the success of the HVACR Industry I wanted to provide IE3 readers an inside look at the committee and their new Chairman.

The history of the E&C Committee is truly the story of America. The Committee is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, dating back to 1795, when it was the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures. When the growing demands of the young nation required that Congress establish a permanent panel to exercise its constitutional authority to “regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the States.

Today the E&C Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee. In the 115^th Congress the E&C Committee is responsible for the nation’s telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health research, environmental quality, energy policy, and interstate and foreign commerce. It also oversees multiple cabinet-level Departments and independent agencies, including the Departments of Energy, Health and Human Services, Commerce, and Transportation, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission.

In December 2016 Greg Walden was selected by the House GOP Steering Committee to chair the E&C Committee. The four years Walden served as Deputy Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and four years as Chairman played a significant role in him obtain this highly sought after Chairmanship.

Walden represents the people of Oregon’s Second Congressional District, which includes 20 counties in central, southern, and eastern Oregon. Walden, 59, is a lifelong Oregonian whose ancestors came to Oregon by wagon train in 1845. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism. He and his wife, Mylene, owned and operated small market radio stations in Oregon for 21 years.

In 1998, he was elected to the U.S. House, winning a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2001. Since 2011, he has served as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He’s also served eight years in the Oregon Legislature before coming to Congress.

Representative Walden recently said, “ACCA and the HVACR industry as a whole help make modern medicine possible, keep food fresh, and ensure our information technology systems are operational. I’ve been proud to work with them on common-sense policies that benefit consumers, and I look forward to continuing that good work as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.”

ACCA is committed to ensuring we have the strongest inroads possible with Chairman Walden and the E&C Committee. If you or a member of you team have a strong personal connection to these Members of Congress or their staff, please let me know.

Energy & Commerce Committee Members

Republican Members

Greg Walden (Oregon – 02) – Chairman
Joe Barton (Texas – 06) – Chairman Emeritus
John Shimkus (Illinois – 15) Environment Chair
Tim Murphy (Pennsylvania – 18)
Michael Burgess (Texas – 26)
Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee – 07) – Vice Chairman
Fred Upton (Michigan – 06) Energy Chair
Steve Scalise (Louisiana – 01)
Robert Latta (Ohio – 05)
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Washington – 05)
Gregg Harper (Mississippi – 03)
Leonard Lance (New Jersey – 07)
Brett Guthrie (Kentucky – 02)
Pete Olson (Texas – 22)
David McKinley (West Virginia – 01)
Mike Pompeo (Kansas – 04)
Adam Kinzinger (Illinois – 16)
Morgan Griffith (Virginia – 09)
Gus Bilirakis (Florida – 12)
Bill Johnson (Ohio – 06)
Billy Long (Missouri – 07)
Larry Bucshon (Indiana – 08)
Bill Flores (Texas – 17)
Susan Brooks (Indiana – 05)
Markwayne Mullin (Oklahoma – 02)
Richard Hudson (North Carolina – 08)
Chris Collins (New York – 27)
Kevin Cramer (North Dakota – 00)
Buddy Carter (Georgia – 01)
Ryan Costello (Pennsylvania – 06)
Tim Walberg (Michigan – 07)
Mimi Walters (California – 45)