Electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives.

Bill Number: H.Res. 40
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Congress
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2025-01-14: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T20:59:09Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

H. Res. 40 is a House resolution that elects specific members of the U.S. House of Representatives to various standing committees. Standing committees are groups of lawmakers that review legislation, conduct oversight, and handle policy areas like defense, education, and homeland security. This resolution organizes the committees at the start of the 119th Congress (beginning in 2025) to facilitate the House's legislative work.

Key Provisions

The resolution assigns members to 10 standing committees, listing names without specifying roles like chair or ranking member (except for one case). Key assignments include:

Committee on Armed Services: Elects 25 members, including Mr. Courtney, Mr. Garamendi, and Ms. Jacobs, focusing on military and defense policy.
Committee on Education and Workforce: Elects 15 members, such as Mr. Grijalva and Ms. Bonamici, to address education, labor, and workforce issues.
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Adds Mr. Menendez to rank immediately after Mr. Carter of Louisiana, dealing with energy, health, and commerce matters.
Committee on Homeland Security: Elects 11 members, including Mr. Swalwell and Ms. Johnson of Texas, for border security and emergency response oversight.
Committee on the Judiciary: Elects 18 members, like Mr. Nadler and Ms. Jayapal, responsible for legal and constitutional matters.
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Elects 17 members, such as Ms. Norton and Mr. Lynch, to investigate government operations.
Committee on Rules: Elects 4 members, including Mr. McGovern, which sets procedures for debating bills.
Committee on Small Business: Elects 10 members, like Mr. McGarvey and Ms. Scholten, to support small businesses and entrepreneurship.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Elects 29 members, including Ms. Norton and Mr. Garamendi, covering transportation, public works, and infrastructure.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Elects 10 members, such as Ms. Brownley and Mr. Pappas, to handle benefits and services for military veterans.

The resolution is dated January 14, 2025, and attested by the House Clerk.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This resolution does not amend statutes or create new laws; it is an internal procedural action under House rules. It reflects updates to committee memberships following the 2024 elections, potentially shifting assignments based on party control (appearing to assign Democratic members, suggesting a Democratic majority). No substantive legal changes are introduced, but it replaces prior committee rosters from the 118th Congress.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: Committees like Armed Services and Homeland Security will influence oversight of agencies such as the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security through hearings and recommendations, potentially affecting budgets and policies.
On Citizens: Indirect effects via legislative priorities; for example, the Education and Workforce Committee could shape laws on student loans or job training, while Veterans' Affairs impacts benefits for millions of veterans.
On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though the Armed Services and Judiciary Committees may review foreign policy, treaties, or national security issues that involve diplomacy.

Overall, it streamlines the House's ability to process bills but has no immediate public effects until committees act.

Main Stakeholders Affected

House Members: The listed individuals gain committee roles, influencing their legislative influence and workload.
House Leadership and Parties: Democratic caucus (implied by names) benefits from organized committee strength; Republicans may respond with their own assignments.
Government Agencies and Interest Groups: Entities overseen by these committees (e.g., defense contractors for Armed Services, teachers' unions for Education) will engage with new members.
The Public: Broader society through policy outcomes, particularly in areas like veterans' services, small business support, and infrastructure.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal/Constitutional: Aligns with Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which grants the House authority to determine its rules and committee structures. No challenges to separation of powers or rights are evident.
Political: Signals partisan organization in a potentially divided Congress, potentially affecting bill passage rates and bipartisan cooperation. Committee assignments can amplify members' influence on key issues like national security or economic policy, shaping the legislative agenda for 2025–2026. This resolution underscores the House's self-governing nature but may draw scrutiny if perceived as favoring one party.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33]

Recent Actions

2025-01-14: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2025-01-14: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection. (text: CR H126)
2025-01-14: Passed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection. (text: CR H126)
2025-01-14: Considered as privileged matter. (consideration: CR H125-126)
2025-01-14: Submitted in House
2025-01-14: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

Electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives. — issued 2025-01-14 — PDF (3 pages)