House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday appointed three Republican lawmakers to serve on the House Rules Committee.
Two members of the House Freedom Caucus, South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman and Texas Rep. Chip Roy, joined Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie to be among the five newly nominated members of the Rules Committee, according to a statement from the Speaker’s office.
Both Norman and Roy opposed McCarthy’s speakership through the 11th ballot during January’s House speaker vote before supporting him on the 12th ballot.
It’s official, I’ll be on the Rules Committee. The committee is comprised of 9 members of the majority and 4 members of the minority.
All bills go through the Rules Committee after being voted out of their committees of jurisdiction and before being considered by the full House. pic.twitter.com/k8MoUPRhd8
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 24, 2023
Roy told Axios he was accepting the appointment to the Rules Committee, although he didn’t request the position. “Didn’t ask for it,” Roy said in a statement. “But you can’t push for change [and] not saddle up if asked.”
McCarthy also appointed Indiana Rep. Erin Houchin and New York Rep. Nick Langworthy, who will join returning members Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, Texas Rep. Michael Burgess, Minnesota Rep. Michelle Fischbach and Pennsylvania Rep. Guy Reschenthaler. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Oklahoma Sen. Jessica Garvin Files Women’s Bill Of Rights)
Cole is the new Rules Committee chairman after serving as the panel’s ranking member in the last legislative session, according to The Hill. Cole told Axios the committee’s members bring a “valuable perspective” to help “advance real American priorities.”
“Between our returning members and those joining the panel for the first time, each has an important role to play and brings valuable perspective,” he told the outlet. “I look forward to working together to restore regular order, ensure thorough debate and ultimately advance real American priorities to the House floor.”
To win the battle to become House speaker, McCarthy promised critics, including Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, that committee nominees would include members in or trusted by the House Freedom Caucus. McCarthy said in a statement the new House Republican majority will work to “shift power back to the American people.”
“Under Democrat-control, House committees have been used to target their political opponents and reward their allies at the expense of addressing real concerns to our country. That ends with the new House Republican majority,” McCarthy said. “The Members on these committees will work to shift power back to the American people by providing oversight, transparency, and will stay laser-focused on getting ahead of our national threats.”