House Republicans elected Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon as Communications...

was said to have the support of incoming House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and of Commerce Chairman-elect Fred Upton of Michigan (CD Dec 16 p2). Upton decided to split the Energy and Environment Subcommittee into a panel on energy and power and another on the environment and the economy. Some lobbyists had expected the split, so the Environment Subcommittee could focus on the Environmental Protection Agency, and so John Shimkus of Illinois, named chair, could lead a subcommittee, since he won’t chair Communications. Lee Terry of Nebraska was named the Communications Subcommittee’s vice chairman. He has said he'll continue next Congress to make a Universal Service Fund revamp a focus and he hopes to find a Democrat to help him shepherd legislation through, much as outgoing Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., did. Cliff Stearns of Florida, the ranking GOP member of the subcommittee this Congress, will head the Oversight Subcommittee, Upton’s office said. The outgoing Commerce ranking member, Joe Barton, R-Texas, who lost to Upton for the chairmanship, was named chairman emeritus. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., got the same title when he lost in 2008 to Henry Waxman of California. Waxman, now leaving the Commerce chair, was named last week by outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as ranking member. Mary Bono Mack of California will lead the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, with Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee as vice chairman. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania was named vice chairman of the Environment Subcommittee. The Energy Subcommittee will be headed by Ed Whitfield of Kentucky and John Sullivan of Oklahoma was named vice chairman. “Our challenges are many, and it will be all hands on deck for the Energy and Commerce Committee as we repeal Obamacare, cut spending, roll back job-killing regulations, unleash technological innovation, and fortify our nation’s energy security,” Upton said.