Vol. 37, Number 4—April 2005

Congressional Committees Formed
for 109th Congress

With the first session of the 109th Congress, several new committee and subcommitteechairs took up their gavels. Here are the current chairs and ranking minoritymembers on the committees whose jurisdictions include the federal Judiciary.

Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), chair Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), chair Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs Senator Lindsey O. Graham (R-SC), chair Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), ranking minority member

House Judiciary Committee Representative F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), chair Representative John Conyers (D-MI), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property      Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), chair Representative Howard Berman (D-CA), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Representative Howard Coble (R-NC), chair Representative Robert C. Scott (D-VA), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on the Constitution Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH), chair Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), ranking minority member

Senate Appropriations Committee Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), chair Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.VA), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Senator Christopher S. Bond (R-MO), chair Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking minority member

House Appropriations Committee Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), chair Representative David R. Obey (D-WI), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, The Judiciary, District of Columbia and Independent Agencies For the first time, a single House appropriations subcommittee will have funding responsibility not only for the Judiciary, but also for the General Services Administration's appropriation, which includes federal courthouse funding. Representative Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI), chair Representative John E. Sweeney (R-NY), vice chair Representative John W. Olver (D-MA), ranking minority member

Courthouse Authorization The jurisdiction of theses committees includes the authorization of construction or renovation of federal courthouses among their responsibilities. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), chair Senator James M. Jeffords (I-VT), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure Senator Christopher S. Bond (R-MO), chair Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), ranking minority member

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Representative Don Young (R-AK), chair Representative James Oberstar (D-MN), ranking minority member

Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA), chair Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), ranking minority member