House Commerce Lawmakers Floated in Administration Chatter

A handful of House Commerce Committee legislators have had their names tossed around for posts in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, meaning the panel’s Republican roster could look markedly different in 2017. Already, Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) has been nominated to be CIA Director. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), a member of the transition team, has also been floated for a Cabinet gig, and Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) has expressed interest in heading the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) is advising President-elect Trump on energy policy, and if Energy secretary does not go to Trump pal and Oklahoma oil billionaire Harold Hamm, CEO of energy firm Continental Resources, Rep Cramer could be next in line. Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) is also on the transition team, and one never knows at this stage in the administration buildout what could happen. The potential for moves hasn’t gone unnoticed in Hill offices — especially for members who might have a shot to move up in seniority or grab a subcommittee gavel if other lawmakers depart. The new panel’s roster for the next Congress, which is also contingent on how many spots each party gets based on the size of the GOP’s House majority, will likely come out sometime in the next few weeks. After the 2014 election, the panel got six new Republicans; they were named in late November.