Government affairs

Following the passage of the CARES Act last month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced on April 2 the creation of a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis within the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Final approval was subject to a House vote, however, and today the House approved its creation 212-182 by passing H. Res. 935. Speaker Pelosi stated that she intends to name House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) to chair the 12-member select committee, which will include 7 Democrats appointed by the Speaker and 5 Republicans appointed by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

The committee is charged with investigating the implementation of the nearly $3 trillion in taxpayer funds for relief and stimulus spending, allegations of price gouging and profiteering, federal programs to expand virus testing and develop vaccines, and disparate effects of the virus on communities in the US, among other issues.

"It will be laser-focused on ensuring that taxpayer money goes to workers' paychecks and benefits, and it will ensure that the federal response is based on the best possible science and guided by health experts — and that the money invested is not being exploited by profiteers and price gougers," said Speaker Pelosi.

Approval of the special oversight committee follows the President’s removal of now-former Acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense who had been selected in late March by the head of a council of inspectors general to chair the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.

Besides Whip Clyburn, the Democratic members will include Reps. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Bill Foster (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Andy Kim (D-NJ). The Republican members will be led by Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and will include Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), and Mark Green (R-TN).