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United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce

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House Energy and Commerce Committee
Standing committee
Active

United States House of Representatives
119th Congress
U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce official seal
History
FormedDecember 14, 1795
Leadership
ChairBrett Guthrie (R)
Since January 3, 2025
Ranking memberFrank Pallone (D)
Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats52
Political partiesMajority (29)
  •   Republican (29)
Minority (23)
Website
energycommerce.house.gov (Republican)
democrats-energycommerce.house.gov (Democratic)
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The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years. The two other House standing committees with such continuous operation are the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Rules Committee. The committee has served as the principal guide for the House in matters relating to the promotion of commerce and to the public's health and marketplace interests, with the relatively recent addition of energy considerations among them. Due to its broad jurisdiction, it is considered one of the most powerful committees in the House.[1]

Role of the committee

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The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has developed what is arguably the broadest (non-tax-oriented) jurisdiction of any congressional committee. The committee maintains principal responsibility for legislative oversight relating to telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health, air quality and environmental health, the supply and delivery of energy, and interstate and foreign commerce.[2] This jurisdiction extends over five Cabinet-level departments and seven independent agencies—from the Department of Energy, Health and Human Services, the Transportation Department to the Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration, and Federal Communications Commission—and sundry quasi-governmental organizations.

Jurisdiction

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The Energy and Commerce Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any authorizing committee in Congress. It legislates on a wide variety of issues, including:[3]

  • health care, including mental health and substance abuse
  • health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid
  • biomedical research and development
  • food, drug, device and cosmetic safety
  • environmental protection
  • clean air and climate change
  • safe drinking water
  • toxic chemicals and hazardous waste
  • national energy policy
  • renewable energy and conservation
  • nuclear facilities
  • electronic communications and the internet
  • broadcast and cable television
  • privacy, cybersecurity and data security
  • consumer protection and product safety
  • motor vehicle safety
  • travel, tourism and sports  
  • interstate and foreign commerce

Members, 119th Congress

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Majority Minority

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 21 (R), H.Res. 22 (D), H.Res. 40 (Menendez)

Subcommittees

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To manage the wide variety of issues it encounters, the committee relies on the front-line work of six subcommittees, one more than during the 111th Congress. During the 111th Congress, Henry Waxman combined the traditionally separate energy and environment subcommittees into a single subcommittee.[6] Fred Upton restored them as separate subcommittees at the start of the 112th Congress, and they have been retained to this day.

Subcommittee Chair[7] Ranking Member[5]
Communications and Technology Richard Hudson (R-NC) Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Energy Bob Latta (R-OH) Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Environment Morgan Griffith (R-VA) Paul Tonko (D-NY)
Health Buddy Carter (R-GA) Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Oversight and Investigations Gary Palmer (R-AL) Yvette Clarke (D-NY)

Historical membership rosters

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118th Congress

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Majority Minority

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 56 (R), H.Res. 57 (D), H.Res. 1133 (R)

Subcommittees
Subcommittee Chair[8] Ranking Member[9]
Communications and Technology Bob Latta (R-OH) Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Energy, Climate and Grid Security Jeff Duncan (R-SC) Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Minerals Bill Johnson (R-OH) Paul Tonko (D-NY)
Health Brett Guthrie (R-KY) Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA)
Innovation, Data and Commerce Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Oversight and Investigations Morgan Griffith (R-VA) Kathy Castor (D-FL)

117th Congress

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Majority Minority

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R)

Subcommittees
Subcommittee[11][12] Chair Ranking Member
Communications and Technology Mike Doyle (D-PA) Bob Latta (R-OH)
Consumer Protection and Commerce Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
Energy Bobby Rush (D-IL) Fred Upton (R-MI)
Environment and Climate Change Paul Tonko (D-NY) David McKinley (R-WV)
Health Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
Oversight and Investigations Diana DeGette (D-CO) Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

116th Congress

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Majority Minority

Sources: H.Res. 7 (Chair), H.Res. 8 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 42 (D), H.Res. 68 (R)

Subcommittees
Subcommittee[13][14] Chair Ranking Member
Communications and Technology Mike Doyle (D-PA) Bob Latta (R-OH)
Consumer Protection and Commerce Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
Energy Bobby Rush (D-IL) Fred Upton (R-MI)
Environment and Climate Change Paul Tonko (D-NY) David McKinley (R-WV)
Health Anna Eshoo (D-CA) Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
Oversight and Investigations Diana DeGette (D-CO) Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

115th Congress

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Majority Minority

Sources: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 7 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 29 (R) and H.Res. 45 (D).

114th Congress

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Majority Minority

History

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The committee was originally formed as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures on December 14, 1795. Prior to this, legislation was drafted in the Committee of the Whole or in special ad hoc committees, appointed for specific limited purposes. However the growing demands of the new nation required that Congress establish a permanent committee to manage its constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause to "regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States."

From this time forward, as the nation grew and Congress dealt with new public policy concerns and created new committees, the Energy and Commerce Committee has maintained its central position as Congress's monitor of commercial progress—a focus reflected in its changing jurisdiction, both in name and practice.

In 1819, the committee's name was changed to the Committee on Commerce, reflecting the creation of a separate Manufacturers Committee and also the increasing scope of and complexity of American commercial activity, which was expanding the committee's jurisdiction from navigational aids and the nascent general health service to foreign trade and tariffs. Thomas J. Bliley, who chaired the committee from 1995 to 2000, chose to use this traditional name, which underscores the committee's role for Congress on this front.

In 1891, in emphasis of the committee's evolving activities, the name was again changed to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce—a title it maintained until 1981, when, under incoming Chair John Dingell, the committee first assumed what is now its present name to emphasize its lead role in guiding the energy policy of the United States. Dingell regained leading of the committee in 2007 after having served as ranking member since 1995. In late 2008, Henry Waxman initiated a successful challenge to unseat Dingell as chair. His challenge was unusual as the party caucus traditionally elects chairs based on committee seniority. Waxman formally became chair at the start of the 111th Congress.[15]

Leadership

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A list of former chairs is below.[16][17]

Committee on Commerce and Manufactures (1795–1819)

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Committee on Commerce (1819–1891)

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Chairs
Name Party State Start End
Thomas Newton Democratic-Republican Virginia 1819 1827
Churchill Cambreleng Democratic New York 1827 1833
Joel Sutherland Democratic Pennsylvania 1833 1837
Francis Smith Democratic Maine 1837 1838
Samuel Cushman Democratic New Hampshire 1838 1839
Edward Curtis Whig New York 1839 1841
John Kennedy Whig Maryland 1841 1843
Isaac Holmes Democratic South Carolina 1843 1845
Robert McClelland Democratic Michigan 1845 1847
Washington Hunt Whig New York 1847 1849
Robert McLane Democratic Maryland 1849 1851
David Seymour Democratic New York 1851 1853
Thomas Fuller Democratic Maine 1853 1855
Elihu Washburne Republican Illinois 1855 1857
John Cochrane Democratic New York 1857 1859
Elihu Washburne Republican Illinois 1859 1868
Thomas Eliot Republican Massachusetts 1868 1869
Nathan Dixon Republican Rhode Island 1869 1871
Samuel Shellabarger Republican Ohio 1871 1873
William Wheeler Republican New York 1873 1875
Frank Hereford Democratic West Virginia 1875 1877
Elijah Ward Democratic New York 1877
John Reagan Democratic Texas 1877 1881
Horace Page Republican California 1881 1883
John Reagan Democratic Texas 1883 1887
Martin Clardy Democratic Missouri 1887 1889
Charles Baker Republican New York 1889 1891

Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (1891–1981)

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Committee on Energy and Commerce (1981–present)

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "AOC, Rice face off for powerful committee post". Politico. 8 December 2020.
  2. ^ "About E&C". Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee. December 19, 2013. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  3. ^ "Jurisdiction". Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee. 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  4. ^ "Chairman Guthrie Announces Changes to E&C Republican Subcommittee Leadership and Assignments".
  5. ^ a b "Pallone Announces Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Ranking Members and Democratic Roster for the 119th Congress". Energy & Commerce Committee Democrats. January 14, 2025.
  6. ^ "House Energy and Commerce Committee announces Subcommittee Chairs and Membership". Energy and Commerce Committee Press Release. January 8, 2009. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  7. ^ "Chairman Guthrie Announces 119th Energy and Commerce Republican Subcommittee Assignments". House Committee on Energy and Commerce. January 14, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  8. ^ "Chair Rodgers Announces Energy and Commerce Committee Leadership, Subcommittee Membership for the 118th Congress". House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  9. ^ "Pallone Announces Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Ranking Members and Democratic Roster". Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  10. ^ "Pallone Announces Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Chairs and Democratic Roster". Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee. 15 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Rodgers Announces Energy and Commerce Republican Subcommittee Leaders and Republican Roster". 21 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Pallone Announces Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Chairs and Democratic Roster". Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee. 15 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Rodgers Announces Energy and Commerce Republican Subcommittee Leaders and Republican Roster". 21 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Pallone Announces Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Chairs and Democratic Roster". Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee. 15 January 2021.
  15. ^ H.Res. 8
  16. ^ Historical Data Regarding the Creation and Jurisdiction of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1971.
  17. ^ 180 Years of Service: A Brief History of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives, December 1975. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1976.
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