For the first time in their political careers, U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson and Dave Joyce, who represent the Mahoning Valley, were named chairman of House subcommittees.

Johnson, R-Marietta, whose district includes Mahoning and Columbiana counties, was appointed chairman of the new House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Minerals.

Joyce, R-Bainbridge, whose district includes Trumbull County, was selected chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

JOHNSON

The jurisdiction of Johnson’s subcommittee includes regulation of solid, hazardous and nuclear wastes such as mining, nuclear, oil, gas and coal combustion waste as well as emergency environmental response and all matters related to soil, air and water contamination.

Johnson, who is in his seventh two-year term, said the President Joe “Biden administration has continuously used the (Environmental Protection Agency) as the tip of the spear to orchestrate their failed rush to green agenda. I look forward to holding this administration accountable for onerous regulations that curtail American energy production, stifle American industry and threaten our electric grid.”

As chairman, Johnson said, “I look forward to curbing these abuses and advancing policies that keep our air and water clean while putting American energy and the American people first. After all, our Republican energy and environment solutions are also good climate solutions.”

Johnson was also named a member of two other Energy and Commerce subcommittees: Energy, Climate and Grid Security; and Health.

In the last session, he was a member of three subcommittees: Energy; Environment and Climate Change; and Communications and Technology.

JOYCE

As chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Joyce, who is serving his sixth two-year term, will oversee House funding of the Department of Homeland Security.

“With Republicans back in charge of the House, the Department of Homeland Security and its duties in securing our nation will no longer be overlooked,” Joyce said. “Each day, our brave Customs and Border Protection agents are faced with increased challenges to secure our nation’s borders, stop illegal crossings and prevent illicit substances — such as fentanyl — from flowing into our country.”

Joyce added: “While we must increase focus on securing our southern border, we must also address the critical needs of every DHS component responsible for protecting the American people, including the federal Emergency Management Agency. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure the department receives the necessary funds and oversight to keep our homeland safe and effectively carry out its mission.”

In the last congressional session, the House unanimously approved Joyce’s legislation to protect Customs and Border Protection agents from fentanyl.

The first bill he introduced in this session would give Congress the ability to careful scrutinize more executive branch actions that conflict with legislative intent. Joyce said he was concerned with senior DHS officials issuing memos in 2021 directing Customs and Border Protection personnel to limit their enforcement tactics and deportation orders.

In the last Congress, Joyce served as the ranking Republican on the Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies and a member of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.

In the previous session, Democrat Tim Ryan, who represented most of Mahoning and Trumbull counties, was chairman of the Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Legislative Branch and vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense.

He opted not to seek re-election and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate last year.