House of Representatives
In the House – where continued Republican control is all but guaranteed – the GOP has term limits on Committee chairs, which will force a shuffle at both the Small Business Committee and Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The new chairs will be tasked with the next round of small business contracting provisions and larger procurement reforms including the impact of strategic sourcing and growing use of large vehicles. The chart below shows the current outgoing Chair, and some of the Representatives likely to take charge (list is in no particular order and may not be comprehensive):
*Chair Issa has filled the maximum 6-year term leaving a wide opening on the Committee charged with overseeing the Executive branch. Several current Committee members are jockeying to fill his role.
**Similarly, Chair Graves has filled the maximum 6-year term. Rep. Hanna chairs the contracting subcommittee while Rep. Chabot has seniority.
Senate
The election will determine if Democrats keep control of the Senate, and by consequence, the Chair position of each Committee. If Republicans take the Senate every Committee will have new chairs. That means there could be a change in leadership on the two important committees to contracting: Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs and Small Business & Entrepreneurship. The chart below shows the current Chair and possible outcomes based on which party is in control:
*Current Ranking Member Tom Coburn (R-OK) is retiring, leaving three Republicans vying for the position should Republicans win.
By John Stanford, WIPP Government Relations
With November’s midterm elections around the corner, it is important to think how the results may impact government contractors. While the future control of the Senate is unclear (and what that may mean for federal spending), we do know there will be new faces at the top of the Congressional Committees with jurisdiction over government contracting.
The biggest story for the election is whether Republicans can succeed in taking over the Senate, which has been controlled by a majority of Democrats since 2008. Tight Senate races across the country have this outcome decidedly unclear. Nonetheless, due to certain rules and retirements, many Committee chairs will be changing regardless of who controls the Senate.
Committee: Oversight & Small
Government Business
Reform
Current Chair (R): Issa (CA) Graves (MO)
114th Chair (R): Chaffetz (UT), Chabot (OH),
Mica (FL), Hanna (NY)**
Turner (OH)*
114th Ranking
Member (D): Cummings (MD) Velazquez (NY)
Committee: Homeland Security Small
& Gov. Affairs Business &
Entrepreneurship
Current Chair: Carper (DE) Cantwell (WA)
114th Chair (D): Carper (DE) Cantwell (WA)
114th Chair (R): Collins (ME), or Risch (ID)
Johnson (WI), or
Portman (OH)*)
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