Texas Republicans tapped to chair four committees in new GOP-led U.S. House

From left: U.S. Reps. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, and Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock. (Credit: Texas Tribune)

Texas Republicans are set to chair at least four committees in the new GOP-led U.S. House.

Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth was selected as chair of the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Jodey Arrington of Lubbock as chair of the Budget Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul of Austin as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Rep. Roger Williams as chair of the Small Business Committee.

The House GOP’s Steering Committee issued the recommendations for the committee chairs Monday, and the full Republican conference is expected to approve them Tuesday, according to the office of Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

Granger and McCaul were expected to chair their respective committees after serving as ranking member on them in the previous Democratic-led Congress. Arrington won the Budget Committee gavel Tuesday, defeating Reps. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., and Buddy Carter, R-Ga. And Williams, a car dealer, ran unopposed to chair the Small Business Committee.

A fifth Texas Republican, Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Houston, ran to chair the Homeland Security Committee but lost Monday to Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn.

The Texans are leading some of the most important committees in the chamber, especially when it comes to fiscal matters. The Appropriations Committee oversees government spending, and the Budget Committee crafts the annual budget.

“I am humbled by the confidence and trust of my colleagues to lead the effort to rein-in spending, reduce our debt, and restore fiscal responsibility in our nation’s capital as Chairman of the House Budget Committee,” Arrington said in a statement. “With the national debt surpassing $31 trillion and over 120% of our entire economy, I believe confronting our unsustainable debt is the greatest challenge of the 21st century.”

The Texas delegation has seen considerable turnover in recent elections and is rebuilding its influence in Congress. The delegation most recently lost a highly influential member with the retirement of Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican from The Woodlands who chaired the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.