United States House Committee on Education and Workforce

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United States House Committee on Education and Workforce
Standing committee
Seal of the United States House of Representatives.svg
United States House of Representatives
119th Congress
Edworkforce2.png
Committee logo
History
FormedMarch 21, 1867
Formerly known as
  • Committee on Education and Labor
  • Committee on Education
  • Committee on Labor
  • Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities
Leadership
Chair Tim Walberg (R)
Since January 3, 2025
Ranking member Bobby Scott (D)
Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats45 members
Political partiesMajority (25)
  •   Republican (25)
Minority (20)
Website
edworkforce.house.gov (Republican)
democrats-edworkforce.house.gov (Democratic)

    The Committee on Education and Workforce (also known as Committee on Education and the Workforce) is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. There are 45 members of this committee. Since 2025, the chair of the Education and Workforce committee is Republican Tim Walberg of Michigan.

    Contents

    History of the committee

    Attempts were made to create a congressional committee on education and labor starting with the early congresses but issues over Congress's constitutional ability to oversee such issues delayed the committee's formation. Finally, on March 21, 1867, the Committee on Education and Labor was founded following the end of the Civil War and during the rapid industrialization of America. On December 19, 1883, the committee was divided into two, the Committee on Education and the Committee on Labor. The committees again merged on January 2, 1947, after the passage of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, becoming the Committee on Education and Labor again.

    Name changes

    On January 4, 1995, when the Republicans took over the House, the committee was renamed the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities. It was renamed again as the Committee on Education and the Workforce two years later on January 7, 1997. On January 4, 2007, with the Democrats once again in the majority, the committee's name was changed back to Committee on Education and Labor. [1] After Republicans recaptured the House majority in the 2010 elections, they returned to the name, Committee on Education and the Workforce, effective with the opening of the 112th Congress in 2011. [2] After Democrats recaptured the House majority in the 2018 elections, they similarly returned to the previous name, Committee on Education and Labor, effective with the opening of the 116th Congress in 2019.[ citation needed ] With the passing of the new House Rules associated to the Speaker negotiations in January of 2023, the 118th Congress renamed the committee as the Committee on Education and the Workforce again. [3]

    Jurisdiction

    Education policy

    Workforce policy

    Members, 119th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 38 (R), H.Res. 40 (D), H.Res. 107 (Moylan), H.Res. 300 (Fine), H.Res. 430 (Ansari)

    Subcommittees

    SubcommitteeChair [4] Ranking Member [5]
    Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Kevin Kiley (R-CA) Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
    Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Rick Allen (R-GA) Mark Desaulnier (D-CA)
    Higher Education and Workforce Development Burgess Owens (R-UT) Alma Adams (D-NC)
    Workforce Protections Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) Ilhan Omar (D-MN)

    Chairs

    Committee on Education and Labor (1867–1883)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Jehu Baker RepublicanIL18671860
    Samuel Cary RepublicanOH1869
    Samuel Arnell RepublicanTN18691871
    Legrand W. Perce RepublicanMS18711873
    James Monroe RepublicanOH18731875
    Gilbert Walker DemocraticVA18751877
    John Goode DemocraticVA18771881
    Jonathan T. Updegraff RepublicanOH18811882
    John C. Sherwin RepublicanIL18821883
    Committee on Education (1883–1947)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    D. Wyatt Aiken DemocraticSC18831887
    Allen D. Candler DemocraticGA18871889
    James O'Donnell RepublicanMI18891891
    Walter I. Hayes DemocraticIA18911892
    David B. Brunner DemocraticPA1892
    Benjamin A. Enloe DemocraticTN18921895
    Galusha A. Grow RepublicanPA18951903
    George N. Southwick RepublicanNY19031909
    James Burke RepublicanPA19091911
    Frank Lever DemocraticSC19111913
    Dudley Hughes DemocraticGA19131917
    William J. Sears DemocraticFL19171919
    Simeon D. Fess RepublicanOH19191923
    Frederick W. Dallinger RepublicanMA19231925
    Daniel Reed RepublicanNY19251931
    John J. Douglass DemocraticMA19311935
    Vincent Palmisano DemocraticMD19351937
    William Larrabee DemocraticIN19371943
    Graham Barden DemocraticNC19431947
    Committee on Labor (1883–1947)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    James Hopkins DemocraticPA18831885
    John O'Neill DemocraticMO18851889
    William H. Wade RepublicanMO18891891
    John Tarsney DemocraticMO18911893
    Lawrence E. McGann DemocraticIL18931895
    Thomas Phillips RepublicanPA18951897
    John J. Gardner RepublicanNJ18971911
    William Wilson DemocraticPA19111913
    David Lewis DemocraticMD19131917
    James P. Maher DemocraticNY19171919
    John M. C. Smith RepublicanMI19191921
    John I. Nolan RepublicanCA19211922
    Frederick Zihlman RepublicanMD19221925
    William F. Kopp RepublicanIA19251930
    Richard Welch RepublicanCA19301931
    William P. Connery Jr. DemocraticMA19311937
    Mary Teresa Norton DemocraticNJ19371947
    Committee on Education and Labor (1947–1995)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Fred Hartley RepublicanNJ19471949
    John Lesinski DemocraticMI19491950
    Graham Barden DemocraticNC19501953
    Samuel McConnell RepublicanPA19531955
    Graham Barden DemocraticNC19551961
    Adam Clayton Powell DemocraticNY19611967
    Carl D. Perkins DemocraticKY19671984
    Augustus Hawkins DemocraticCA19841991
    William D. Ford DemocraticMI19911995
    Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities (1995–1997)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bill Goodling RepublicanPA19951997
    Committee on Education and the Workforce (1997–2007)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bill Goodling RepublicanPA19972001
    John Boehner RepublicanOH20012006
    Buck McKeon RepublicanCA20062007
    Committee on Education and Labor (2007–2011)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    George Miller DemocraticCA20072011
    Committee on Education and the Workforce (2011–2019)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    John Kline RepublicanMN20112017
    Virginia Foxx RepublicanNC20172019
    Committee on Education and Labor (2019–2023)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bobby Scott DemocraticVA20192023
    Committee on Education and the Workforce (2023–2025)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Virginia Foxx RepublicanNC20232025
    Committee on Education and Workforce (2025–present)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Tim Walberg RepublicanMI2025present

    Ranking Members

    The committee keeps a record of party leadership for all its predecessors, including the ranking minority members. [6]

    Committee on Education (1883–1947)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    David A. De Armond DemocratMO18891903
    Willard Vandiver DemocraticMO19031905
    Edwin Y. Webb DemocraticNC19051907
    Frank Lever DemocraticSC19071911
    James Burke RepublicanPA19111915
    Caleb Powers RepublicanKY19151919
    William J. Sears DemocraticFL19191921
    William B. Bankhead DemocraticAL19211923
    Bill G. Lowrey DemocraticMS19231929
    Loring M. Black Jr. DemocraticNY19291931
    Daniel Reed RepublicanNY19311933
    James L. Whitley RepublicanNY19331935
    Albert E. Carter RepublicanCA19351937
    George Dondero RepublicanMI19371947
    Committee on Labor (1883–1947)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Jasper Talbert DemocraticSC18891903
    Ben F. Caldwell DemocraticIL19031905
    William Randolph Hearst DemocraticNY19051907
    Henry T. Rainey DemocraticIL19071911
    John J. Gardner RepublicanNJ19111913
    John M. C. Smith RepublicanMI19131919
    James P. Maher DemocraticNY19191921
    Eugene Black DemocraticTX19211923
    William D. Upshaw DemocraticGA19231927
    William P. Connery Jr. DemocraticMA19271931
    Richard Welch RepublicanCA19311947
    Committee on Education and Labor (1947–1995)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    John Lesinski DemocraticMI19471949
    Samuel McConnell RepublicanPA19491953
    Graham Barden DemocraticNC19531955
    Samuel McConnell RepublicanPA19551957
    Ralph W. Gwinn RepublicanNY19571959
    Carroll D. Kearns RepublicanPA19591963
    Peter Frelinghuysen RepublicanNJ19631965
    William Ayres RepublicanOH19651971
    Al Quie RepublicanMN19711979
    John M. Ashbrook RepublicanOH19791982
    John N. Erlenborn RepublicanIL19821985
    Jim Jeffords RepublicanVT19851989
    Bill Goodling RepublicanPA19891995
    Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities (1995–1997)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bill Clay DemocraticMO19951997
    Committee on Education and the Workforce (1997–2007)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bill Clay DemocraticMO19972001
    George Miller DemocraticCA20012007
    Committee on Education and Labor (2007–2011)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Buck McKeon RepublicanCA20072009
    John Kline RepublicanMI20092011
    Committee on Education and the Workforce (2011–2019)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    George Miller DemocraticCA20112015
    Bobby Scott DemocraticVA20152019
    Committee on Education and Labor (2019–2023)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Virginia Foxx RepublicanNC20192023
    Committee on Education and the Workforce (2023–2025)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bobby Scott DemocraticVA20232025
    Committee on Education and Workforce (2025–present)
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Bobby Scott DemocraticVA2025present

    Historical membership rosters

    115th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Sources: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 7 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 45 (D), H.Res. 51 (R), H.Res. 59 (D), H.Res. 131 (R)

    116th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Sources: H.Res. 24 (Chair), H.Res. 25 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 42 (D), H.Res. 68 (R), H.Res. 73 (D), H.Res. 481 (R), H.Res. 596 (R), H.Res. 801 (R)

    Subcommittees

    As of 2019: [9]

    SubcommitteeChairRanking Member
    Civil Rights and Human Services Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) James Comer (R-KY)
    Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Gregorio Sablan (I-MP) Rick W. Allen (R-GA)
    Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Frederica Wilson (D-FL) Tim Walberg (R-MI)
    Higher Education and Workforce Investment Susan Davis (D-CA) Lloyd Smucker (R-PA)
    Workforce Protections Alma Adams (D-NC) Bradley Byrne (R-AL)

    117th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 72 (removing Rep. Greene), H.Res. 92 (D), H.Res. 111 (D), H.Res. 311 (R), H.Res. 902 (D), H.Res. 1340 (R), H.Res. 1404 (D)

    Subcommittees
    Subcommittee [10] ChairRanking Member
    Civil Rights and Human Services Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) Russ Fulcher (R-ID)
    Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Gregorio Sablan (I-MP) Burgess Owens (R-UT)
    Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) Rick W. Allen (R-GA)
    Higher Education and Workforce Investment Frederica Wilson (D-FL) Greg Murphy (R-NC)
    Workforce Protections Alma Adams (D-NC) Fred Keller (R-PA)

    118th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 80 (R), H.Res. 87 (D)

    Subcommittees
    SubcommitteeChair [11] Ranking Member [12]
    Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Aaron Bean (R-FL) Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
    Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Bob Good (R-VA) Mark Desaulnier (D-CA)
    Higher Education and Workforce Investment Burgess Owens (R-UT) Frederica Wilson (D-FL)
    Workforce Protections Kevin Kiley (R-CA) Alma Adams (D-NC)

    See also

    References

    1. Chapter 9. Records of the Committees on Education and Labor, Guide to the Records of the U.S. House of Representatives at the National Archives, 1789-1989 (Record Group 233), National Archives and Records Administration
    2. Wall Street Journal: Republicans Labor to Avoid ‘Labor’
    3. PBS: There are new House rules under GOP leadership. Here’s a short guide
    4. 1 2 "Chairman Walberg Announces Subcommittee Assignments". Committee on Education and Workforce. January 14, 2025.
    5. 1 2 "Ranking Member Scott Welcomes Democratic Committee Members for the 119th Congress". Education and Workforce Committee Democrats. January 14, 2025.
    6. https://democrats-edworkforce.house.gov/about/history
    7. Sablan is an Independent, but caucuses with the Democrats.
    8. Sablan is an Independent, but caucuses with the Democrats.
    9. "Members, Subcommittees & Jurisdictions" (PDF). Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
    10. "Chairman Scott Statement Announces New Subcommittee and Vice Chairs". Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
    11. "Education And The Workforce Committee Adopts Rules And Oversight Plan For 118th Congress". Committee on Education & the Workforce. January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
    12. "NEW: 118th Congress Democratic Committee Assignments | Education & The Workforce Committee Democrats". democrats-edworkforce.house.gov. Retrieved February 1, 2023.