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The Leadership Connect team has created a “House Flip” series analyzing congressional committee Ranking Members, their key staff, and who may become committee Chairs since Republicans have taken the House for the 118th Congress

All Reelected Ranking Members Became Committee Chairs in the Last House Flip

Chair Richard E. Neal (D-MA, 1) → Member Vernon G. “Vern” Buchanan (R-FL, 16)

Ranking Member Kevin P. Brady (R-TX, 8) is retiring, so the next Republican by rank (seniority) is Vern Buchanan.

All chair candidates:

If Vern Buchanan becomes committee chair, he would vacate his role leading the Subcommittee on Health, so that could be filled by Adrian Smith (R-NE, 3) who just won his ninth term.

If you need to work with this committee and track legislation, use Leadership Connect to develop relationships with the most influential people. Start off by seeing what bills may be introduced, who would be responsible for the text, and how you can connect with them.

Vern Buchanan's policy area and bio

Vern Buchanan's recent sponsored legislation

Or review his cosponsored legislation

News and tweets indicate their current focus

Vern Buchanan's private sector connections

Vern Buchanan has many strong connections in government affairs and at associations.

Key staff

Buchanan’s Chief of Staff Sean Brady has only worked for members of Congress but has many connections with government affairs teams and associations.

Buchanan’s Legislative Director Aaron Bill has private sector connections from his past roles in Congress and law firms.

The current committee Staff Director Gary Andres has had a long and storied career, including time at law firms, corporations, associations, and the Bush Administration. He even wrote a book, Lobbying Reconsidered.

Update: Jason Smith (R-MO, 8) is now the Ways and Means chair

Smith is now the youngest chair in the committee’s history. In the previous Congress he was ranking member of the House Budget Committee.

He has strong private sector relationships from his time in Congress, membership in the NRA, and serving on the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

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