Far right conservatives likely to chair small biz panels

Republicans won majorities in the House and Senate in the midterm elections, bringing changes in leadership to the small business committees in Congress.

Small business owners are facing the strong likelihood of two lawmakers recently ranked as the “Most Conservative” in the House and Senate, respectively, becoming chairmen of the House and Senate small business panels.

In the House, Rep. Steve Chabot, R-OH, is the senior GOP committee member most likely next in line for the chairmanship of the House Small Business Committee, while in the Senate, Sen. James Risch, R-ID, is the likely next chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

Coincidentally, the National Journal recently ranked Chabot as the #1 “Most Conservative” lawmaker in the House and Risch the #1 “Most Conservative” lawmaker in the Senate in February 2014, based on their votes in 2013.

Chabot voted against the Ryan-Murray bipartisan budget agreement in December 2013, among other key votes.

Risch’s voting record was judged to be more conservative than those of Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY (ranked #25) and of Tea Party leaders Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX (#4), Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY (#19) and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL (#17).

Chabot and Risch are staunch supporters of reducing federal regulation and limiting federal spending.

In the House, the small business chairmanship is available due to the GOP’s self-imposed term-limit rule dating from 1994. The rule limits chairmanship to three terms, or six years. It likely will force leadership changes at up to 11 committees.

That rule spells the loss of the small business chairmanship for term-limited Rep. Sam Graves, R-MO. During his term, Graves has focused on repealing Obamacare, reducing regulation and increasing the small business federal contracting goal to 25%, from the current 23%.

Other senior Republicans on the small business panel, including Reps. Scott Tipton, R-CO, Chris Collins, R-NY, and Richard Hanna, R-NY, also may have a shot at the chairmanship. House GOP leaders will vote on committee chairs in secret ballots starting Nov. 12.

In the Senate, since the Republicans gained the majority, that means Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-WA, loses the chairmanship of the Senate small business panel.

More Information: National Journal 2013 vote rankings http://goo.gl/OmsCTo .

Far right conservatives likely to chair small biz panels

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