By the end of January, committees in the U.S. Senate responsible for funding and overseeing the U.S. Census Bureau had announced their leadership and, in some cases, completed rosters.
Senate Appropriations Committee
On January 29, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the committee’s Vice Chair, issued a joint press release announcing assignments to the committee’s 12 subcommittees. The Commerce, Science, Justice (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, which recommends funding for the U.S. Census Bureau, will be chaired by Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) serving as its ranking member. Senator Van Hollen replaces Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) who chaired the subcommittee during the 118th Congress when the Democrats had the majority.
The Senate CJS roster is listed below with new subcommittee members in bold.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) – Chair
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
- Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
- Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)
- Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN)
- Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL)
- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE)
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) – Ranking Member
- Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
- Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)
- Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
- Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
In a joint January 21 media release, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) announced the Chairs and Ranking Members of HSGAC’s three subcommittees for the 119th Congress. The announcement also confirmed that the title of the former “Subcommittee on Threats and Spending Oversight” will now be the “Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census,” signaling an interest to potentially prioritize census issues. The newly titled subcommittee will be chaired by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) with freshman Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) serving as its Ranking Member. As of the end of January, complete subcommittee rosters were not available.
Committee staff confirmed that jurisdiction over census issues will continue at the full committee level in coordination with the Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census.
