Now that Democrats have taken back the U.S. House, here’s what it means for Washington’s delegation and its seven Democratic members.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-9th District, is on track to take over as Chair of the House Services Committee, of which he is currently the ranking member.
“Together, we have made strides on national security issues but much more must done to conduct vigorous oversight of the Trump Administration and the Department of Defense,” Smith said in a letter to his colleagues. “Specifically, we must look to eliminate inefficiency and waste at the DOD; boost oversight of sensitive military operations and ensure that the military works to avoid civilian casualties; protect our environmental laws nationwide; advance green technology in defense; take substantial steps to reduce America’s overreliance on nuclear weapons; and promote greater transparency in national security matters.”
Rep. Rick Larsen, D-2nd District, has his eye on chair of the Aviation subcommittee.
Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-1st District, and Denny Heck, D-10th District, are both running to chair the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is in charge of strategizing, fundraising, and recruiting candidates. DelBene currently serves as DCCC’s finance co-chair, and Heck serves as recruitment chair.
Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-6th District, is running to chair the New Democrat Coalition, which is a pro-economic growth Democratic group. He currently serves as vice chair of the group.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-7th District, is running for co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which is the largest caucus within the House Democratic Caucus.
She’s also a member of the House Judiciary Committee and said Democratic priorities next year including protecting the Mueller investigation, as well as investigations into the emoluments clause, the President’s tax returns, and family separations at the Southern Border.
Representative-elect Kim Schrier, who traveled to D.C. this week for freshman orientation, says she will petition to be a party of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which covers the health sector.
Schrier, D-8th Disitrict, says her first goals next year include health care related legislation, as well as campaign finance reform.
“I would like to get right to work on taking on big pharma to lower drug costs to allow Medicare to negotiate the price of pharmaceuticals,” Schrier said. “I would like to bring back stability to the Affordable Care Act, so we can stabilize and then start working on bringing down prices so that everyone can afford health care.”
As far as investigations, Schrier says Russian interference into U.S. elections remains at the top of her priority list.
Schrier will be the first Democratic member to represent the 8th District, which has remained Republican since it was created in the 1980s. The district, which stretches across both sides of the Cascades, is evenly divided among Democratic voters in Eastern King County and Republican voters in the more conservative portions of Pierce County and Central Washington.
“This is where being a pediatrician really comes in handy, because I’m good at working with people. I will have lots of outreach to the district and constituent services so I can truly serve the district. Planning on having town halls,” said Schrier.
Schrier and outgoing Rep. Dave Reichert will meet Monday to discuss the job and the district.
“She will find that she will be pulled to the left by members of her own party to take votes far left that she may not want to take, and she’ll also be pulled to the right where she may not want to be,” Reichert said.
Reichert hasn’t revealed what he will do post retirement from Congress but said he wants to continue to serve.
In Republican position changes, The Hill reported last week that Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers from Eastern Washington will not seek another term of GOP leadership. She previously has served as Conference Chair, the fourth ranking Republican in the U.S. House. A spokesman says she will instead focus on moving up rank within her committees, which includes Energy and Commerce.
