Matsui Named Lead House Communications Democrat; Blumenthal Leaves Senate Commerce
The Democratic rosters for the Senate Commerce Committee and House Commerce Committee subpanels are changing only slightly for this Congress, after the House shift to a GOP majority and the Senate to outright Democratic control. Rep. Doris Matsui of California will be lead House Communications Subcommittee Democrat and former Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois will be Innovation Subcommittee ranking member, as expected (see 2211210058), said House Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone of New Jersey. Republicans previously announced Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio will chair House Communications and Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida will chair Innovation (see 2301250066).
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Former Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., left the Commerce Committee and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., is joining the panel, the Senate Democratic caucus said Thursday. Welch was previously a senior House Communications member. The membership shifts mean Democrats will continue to have 14 seats on Senate Commerce. Republicans will likely have 13 after the chamber moved to a 51-49 Democratic majority when the new Congress gaveled in earlier this month. Republicans hadn't announced their membership rosters Friday afternoon.
Welch is also the only new Democrat joining the Senate Judiciary Committee’s roster, replacing former Sen. Patrick Leahy, whose Vermont Senate seat he won in November. There was, meanwhile, a shakeup in House Judiciary Committee GOP leadership: Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky will be the new Antitrust Subcommittee chairman instead of former subpanel ranking member Ken Buck of Colorado (see 2301270031).
“I am proud of what Democrats have been able to accomplish” on House Communications while they still had the majority “and I look forward to building on that progress” in the minority, said Matsui, who was previously the subpanel’s vice chair, in a statement. “I am ready to find common ground to promote innovation and equity in technology” but will also “fight for policies that meet the needs of the modern economy and solve the problems of the future.” She will “work to ensure the federal government is a driving force in maintaining a healthy spectrum pipeline” and wants to “continue my work securing American telecommunications networks while deploying open and interoperable technologies.” Matsui plans to “fight to close the digital divide to ensure all Americans have access to reliable broadband and a free and open internet.”
Three incumbent Commerce members are joining Communications: Debbie Dingell of Michigan, Robin Kelly of Illinois and Annie Kuster of New Hampshire. Matsui and eight other incumbent Communications Democrats will remain on the subpanel. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware is the only new Democrat on Innovation; former House Consumer Protection Vice Chair Tony Cardenas of California left the subpanel but remains on Communications.