Pete Aguilar, Ted Lieu Asked What The Ideal Qualities For Next House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Should Be

8 months ago

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) were asked about the ideal qualities for a candidate to replace Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) as House Oversight Committee ranking member after his death in May.

Transcript

00:02So coming up, you have the oversight ranking member race.

00:05That's going to be a big deal in the Democratic caucus.

00:08And it's kind of another pivotal moment for the party to determine who's going to be the next leader of this powerful committee

00:13and whether they go with somebody younger who's eager and has a lot of energy versus someone who has a lot of experience.

00:18And I know you've talked before about the caucus weighing several different things when you're picking a new member.

00:23What are things that the caucus is going to be looking at?

00:25And what do you think should be the quality of the next ranking member?

00:30The caucus will have the opportunity to weigh that and vote.

00:35The vice chair and I noticed the election for three weeks from now at our regularly scheduled caucus meetings.

00:44Our expectation is that the four candidates will make their way to meet with members,

00:50and this will give them ample opportunity to do that.

00:52I think members, any member, will view that race through the lens of experience,

01:01a willingness to do the hard work of oversight.

01:05The important portfolio that oversight contains within the federal workforce I think is also incredibly important.

01:12As we've said before, seniority and length of tenure is always a factor,

01:18but it is one of many factors that members consider,

01:22and members will arrive at their own decisions and make a pick for the ranking member position.

01:29That's our expectation.

01:30The vice chair and I are tasked with presiding over the election,

01:34so our job is to just make sure that it's done in a fair way

01:37and to make sure that the members hear directly from the candidates.

01:42I just want to say that just because someone's a senior member,

01:46it doesn't mean they have less energy.

01:49One point of fact, Speaker Pelosi had and continues to have more energy

01:53than most human beings that I know.

Pete Aguilar, Ted Lieu Asked What The Ideal Qualities For Next House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Should Be

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