Republican Study Committee

The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is a congressional caucus of conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives.^[3] In November 2022, Representative Kevin Hern of Oklahoma was elected as the chair of the RSC,^[4] effective as of January 2023.^[5]

Republican Study Committee

Kevin Hern

1973 (1973)

Right-wing^[2]

Republican Party

Red

179 / 218^[a]

179 / 435^[a]

Although the primary functions of the RSC vary from year to year, it has always pushed for significant cuts in non-defense spending,^[6] advocated socially conservative legislation,^[7] and supported the right to keep and bear arms.^[8] It has proposed an alternative budget every year since 1995.^[9] In 2007, in conjunction with the unveiling of its "Taxpayer Bill of Rights",^[10] it presented an alternative budget resolution that it claimed would balance the budget within five years without increasing income taxes.^[11]^[12]

Entering the 118th United States Congress, the RSC was the largest ideological caucus in Congress of either party.^[13]

1973–1989: (IL-12)

Phil Crane

1989–1995: (IN-6)

Dan Burton

1995–1999: (IN-6), John Doolittle (CA-4), Ernest Istook (OK-5), Sam Johnson (TX-3)

Dan Burton

1999–2000: (IN-2)

David M. McIntosh

2000–2001: (TX-3)

Sam Johnson

2001–2003: (AZ-4)

John Shadegg

2003–2005: (NC-9)

Sue Myrick

2005–2007: (IN-6)

Mike Pence

2007–2009: (TX-5)

Jeb Hensarling

2009–2011: (GA-6)

Tom Price

2011–2013: (OH-4)

Jim Jordan

2013–2014: (LA-1)

Steve Scalise

2014–2015: (GA-7)

Rob Woodall

2015–2017: (TX-17)

Bill Flores

2017–2019: (NC-6)

Mark Walker

2019–2021: (LA-4)

Mike Johnson

2021–2023: (IN-3)

Jim Banks

2023–present: (OK-1)

Kevin Hern

of Indiana

Dan Burton

of Illinois^[18]^[19]

Phil Crane

of California

John Doolittle

of Texas

Sam Johnson

of Indiana

David M. McIntosh

of North Carolina

Sue Myrick

of Indiana

Mike Pence

of Maine

Bruce Poliquin

of Texas

Jeb Hensarling

of Georgia

Tom Price

of Ohio

Jim Jordan

of Indiana

Jackie Walorski

of Georgia

Rob Woodall

of Texas

Bill Flores

of North Carolina

Mark Walker

of Minnesota

Jim Hagedorn

of Utah

Chris Stewart

of Pennsylvania

Pat Toomey

of North Carolina

Richard Burr

of Colorado^[20]

Ken Buck

of Pennsylvania^[21]

John Joyce

of Tennessee^[21]

Tim Burchett

Political issues[edit]

On June 16, 2010, the committee issued a press release critical of the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama for negotiating an agreement with energy company BP to waive the $75 million federal limit on oil company liability for oil spills. The statement called the agreement requiring BP to set aside $20 billion to pay damage claims for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill a "Chicago-style political shakedown" by the White House.^[22]

In July 2013, the Republican Study Committee barred The Heritage Foundation employees from attending its weekly meeting in the Capitol, reversing a decades-old policy, over disagreements about the farm bill.^[23]

In June 2015, the Republican Study Committee reacted to the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, calling it "a loss for democratic self-government" and stating "we should work to promote the truth of marriage between a man and a woman."^[24]

In 2021, their policy positions included maintaining the Hyde Amendment, constructing a wall on the southern border, and ending perceived censorship of conservative-leaning content.^[25]

Republican Study Committee