{"id":32668,"date":"2019-01-03T22:27:37","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T22:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/03\/big-shakeup-coming-to-senate-armed-services\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:43:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:43:41","slug":"big-shakeup-coming-to-senate-armed-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2019\/01\/03\/big-shakeup-coming-to-senate-armed-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Big shakeup coming to Senate Armed Services"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The Senate Armed Services Committee <\/a>is welcoming a host of new faces in the new congressional session and losing some familiar faces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As many as eight seats on the military panel \u2014 nearly one-third of the committee membership \u2014 could change before its next meeting, even with the Senate remaining in Republican control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official committee assignments for Republicans, released by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday evening, has five GOP committee members leaving in the 116th Congress. (Politico<\/a> broke the news earlier in the day, based on a draft roster it obtained.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That includes Sen. Lindsey Graham<\/a>, R-S.C., one of the Pentagon\u2019s most vocal allies and one of the panel\u2019s longest-serving members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graham, who joined the panel in 2003, leaves as he is expected to ascend to the role of chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is also expected to retain the gavel of the powerful Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, as well as remain a member of the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Carolina, which has a large military presence, will lose representation on the panel as Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., also departs \u2014 alongside GOP Sens. Ted Cruz, of Texas; Ben Sasse<\/a>, of Nebraska; and Jon Kyl<\/a>, of Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senate Democrats have already announced three new members for the Senate Armed Services Committee. Sens. Tammy Duckworth, a combat-wounded Army veteran from Illinois; Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, and Doug Jones, of aerospace powerhouse Alabama, will replace three departing Democratic lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I was first elected last year, and took a look at [Redstone] Arsenal and all of the bases, it was just stunning, everything that\u2019s going on,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to carrying on a great tradition of Alabama senators on that committee and doing all I can to help my state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t