The man who has served Ohio’s fifth district for 15 years has assumed the role of Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology — a primary venue on Capitol Hill that maintains oversight of the FCC.
With the change in leadership from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, the power House E&C Committee is now chaired by Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
On Wednesday, her subcommittee choices were revealed. To little surprise, the head of the Communications and Technology will be Bob Latta.
Latta was Ranking Member of the committee under the leadership of Frank Pallone Jr. and Mike Doyle. He represents a largely rural area of northwest Ohio, excluding Toledo. He has been a Member of Congress since 2007, and in the 115th Congress served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection, where he advocated for policies and solutions that focus on jobs and “innovation-creating 21st Century Commerce.”
His top priorities, his website states, include balancing the budget, “maintaining a strong national defense, and implementing commonsense government reforms.” Latta is also known for being ever-present on Capitol Hill: He has cast more than 1,500 consecutive votes without a miss, the third-longest streak in the U.S. House of Representatives.
And, Latta was one of the House co-sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act, the non-binding pledge among Members of Congress to not support any legislation that would impose a performance tax on broadcast radio, including the failed musicFIRST-endorsed American Music Fairness Act.
What does the rest of the GOP Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Roster look like? Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia is Vice Chair, while the rest of the Republicans are:
- Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
- Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-07)
- Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02)
- Rep. John Curtis (UT-03)
- Rep. John Joyce (PA-13)
- Rep. Randy Weber (TX-04)
- Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12)
- Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12)
- Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01)
- Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11)
- Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01)
- Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03)
- Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23)
- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Ex Officio
