Republican Mike Green of Tennessee defeated Dan Crenshaw of Texas for the chairmanship of the House Homeland Security Committee.
Crenshaw lost just days after he compared Republicans who refused to support McCarthy to terrorists.
Meanwhile, House Republican Steering Committee members selected Green to chair the panel that oversees Homeland Security, including the southern border.
He and Crenshaw, both supporters of new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, indicated they would take a hardline approach to the migrant crisis.
“Crenshaw ran a spirited race,” Green said, adding that he is “grateful” for Crenshaw’s friendship and leadership.
The Homeland Security Committee is the Department of Homeland Security’s main oversight committee for border security and cybersecurity. In 2005, Congress established the committee as a standing committee to protect the American people from terrorist attacks.
A US Army combat veteran and medical doctor who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Green previously served on the House Armed Services Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Coronavirus Crisis Select Subcommittee.
POLITICO Congressional Reporter Olivia Beavers reports that Green’s first order of business is to hire staff for the committee. According to Beavers, Green intends to have a permanent staff member at the border to work with CBP and other entities.
The House of Representatives sent a strong message to Dan Crenshaw this week by not choosing him to be the chair of the Homeland Security Committee. There is a strong indication that this play was an attempt at retribution, coming just days after Crenshaw called Republicans who refused to support McCarthy “terrorists.” This type of behavior and rhetoric will not be tolerated and certainly the House made sure to make an example out of Crenshaw for his comments.
