WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are now settling into their new roles, after weeks of quietly lobbying and pursuing new committee assignments.
While Florida's Congressional Delegation has not exactly been power players in the past, the Sunshine State is gaining some Congressional clout inside the Beltway.
“There’s a lot of competition for these things so people are looking for where their points of leverage are to get more influence," said Michele Swers, a professor of American Government at Georgetown University.
A handful of Florida Democrats are on the rise, now that they have claimed the majority in the House of Representatives. Congressman Charlie Crist, D, Florida 13th District, joins the Appropriations committee which manages the federal government’s spending. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, D, Florida 7th District, will serve on Ways and Means, the panel that writes the tax code. Congressman Darren Soto now on Energy and Commerce, responsible for environmental issues and healthcare.
“There are freshman on judiciary, Floridians you might have on financial services - these are all important positions for oversight on the administration, for being able to talk to people in different agencies," Swers said
Florida Democratic Women are also gaining new prominence. Rep. Val Demings, D, Florida 10th District, will lead candidate recruitment for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Rep. Murphy is now the leader of the moderate Blue Dog caucus and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tapped Congresswoman Rep. Kathy Castor, D, Florida 14th District, to lead a special panel dedicated to climate change.
“That’s a big and important position to have for someone from Florida, there’s more concern about climate change, the quality of the environment, the quality of beaches, and so she’ll be able to draw a lot of attention to those issues," Swers said.
Over the last few years, Florida members have largely flown under the radar in halls of Congress. While that is slowly shifting for Democrats in the House, Florida’s two senators also are gaining more power, despite their collective lack of seniority.
“Florida senators are both Republican so they’ll both have more influence on the Trump administration, It’s about who gets a seat at the table, who can influence policy making," Swers said.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R, and Sen. Rick Scott's, R, influence with the commander-in-chief was magnified on Tuesday after both attended a White House meeting alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, to talk about the situation in Venezuela.
List of Florida Congressional Members' Committee Assignments:
Rubio, Marco (R-FL)
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Committee on Foreign Relations
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Chairman)
- Select Committee on Intelligence
- Special Committee on Aging
Scott, Rick (R-FL)
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Airland
- Subcommittee on Cybersecurity
- Subcommittee on Personnel
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Committee on the Budget
- Special Committee on Aging
Rep. Darren Soto (D) Florida 9th District
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. Michael Waltz (R) 6th District
House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D) 7th District
House Ways and Means
Rep. Val Demings (D) 10th District
House Intelligence Committee
House Judiciary Committee
Rep. Charlie Crist (D) 16th District
Committee on Appropriations
Rep. Kathy Castor (D) 14th
Lead newly-created House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
House Energy and Commerce
Rep. Ross Spano (R) 15th
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
House Small Business Committee