Today marks the first day of the congressional term. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) officially becomes Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. As an inaugural act, he launched a new web site for the committee he chairs. The committee's new Ranking Member is Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), who also launched a new web site for the minority side of the committee. The majority's web site does not differ too much from the old web site, except that the drop-down menu for "Investigations" has been replaced with a drop-down menu entitled, "Signs of a Failed Stimulus."
According to both new web sites, no hearings are scheduled, and no new investigations have been announced.
These web sites, however, are both ones to watch as investigations pick up over the course of this congressional term.
Likewise, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, under the chairmanship of Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) launched a new web site, which has a different look from its predecessor. Gone is the useful, color-coded calendar that indicated which subcommittee was holding a particular hearing on a given day. Perhaps, the majority will re-introduce that tool when hearings are scheduled. At the moment, no hearings are scheduled, and no new investigations have been announced. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) is the committee's ranking member and also has launched a new web site.
Traditionally, these two committees have been the focal point for the most amount of congressional investigation activity, and we will be tracking these web sites throughout the congressional term.
