Bishop returns to Armed Services panel

Bishop could also wind up as head of the Strategic Forces
subcommittee if that panel’s current chairman, Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), winds
up taking Tactical Air and Land, according to industry sources. Turner has
expressed interest in moving to the new subcommittee.

{mosads}Bishop’s status as a potential subcommittee chairman, however,
is still up in the air because he is also a subcommittee chairman on National
Resources and a member of the Rules Committee.

Bishop spokeswoman Melissa Subbotin did not comment on the
potential that Bishop could take a subcommittee chairmanship, but she said the Air and
Land and the Readiness subcommittees were the two he’s most interested in
serving on because of their jurisdiction over installations in his district.

The Tactical Air and Land subcommittee post is open after
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) lost reelection this year.

One lawmaker not likely to try to move into the post is the
committee’s vice chairman, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), whom defense sources say is
expected to remain as chairman of the Emerging Threats subcommittee.

On the Democratic side, the Air and Land ranking member position is also open after Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) lost in a primary.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) has the seniority to take
over that spot but has not yet decided whether she wants to do so, according to
congressional sources.

The decision for subcommittee chairmaships is up to McKeon,
whose office is not commenting about the positions until they are named.

McKeon also announced Wednesday new members who will be on
the committee next year: Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), Paul Cook (R-Calif.), Kristi
Noem (R-S.D.), Rich Nugent (R-Fla.), Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio).