House Government Reform Committee at a Glance

Majority
Room, 2157 Rayburn
Phone, 225-5074
Fax, 225-3974
www.house.gov/reform

Minority
Room, B-350A Rayburn
Phone, 225-5051
Fax, 225-8185
www.house.gov/waxman

Major issues
Federal government oversight
Federal-state relations
The census
District of Columbia
U.S. Postal Service

Committee profile
The committee's consuming focus under Chairman Dan Burton, R-Ind., has been investigating alleged Democratic campaign finance abuses during the 1996 election. Relations between Republicans and Democrats on the panel have been tense, even hostile, during Burton's tenure as chairman, and serving as a staff member on the committee has been a grueling assignment. The campaign finance investigation has been hampered by controversies, roadblocks, and considerable staff turnover. Burton's special multimillion-dollar budget for probing alleged foreign money abuses has dried up-and Washington's attention has largely shifted elsewhere-but he doggedly presses on: During the spring, the panel heard from Democratic fund-raiser Johnny Chung. However, there are signs that the committee is slowly returning to less-explosive fare, with hearings that highlight how states have launched innovative criminal justice, education, welfare, and tax programs.

Republicans (24)
Dan Burton, Ind.
Benjamin A. Gilman, N.Y.
Constance A. Morella, Md.
Christopher Shays, Conn.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Fla.
John M. McHugh, N.Y.
Steve Horn, Calif.
John L. Mica, Fla.
Tom Davis, Va.
David McIntosh, Ind.
Mark Souder, Ind.
Joe Scarborough, Fla.
Steven C. LaTourette, Ohio
Mark Sanford, S.C.
Bob Barr, Ga.
Dan Miller, Fla.
Asa Hutchinson, Ark.
Lee Terry, Neb.
Judy Biggert, Ill.
Greg Walden, Ore.
Doug Ose, Calif.
Paul Ryan, Wis.
John Doolittle, Calif.
Helen Chenoweth, Idaho


Majority

Staff Director
Kevin J. Binger, 225-5074

Deputy Staff Director
Daniel R. Moll, 225-5074

Chief Counsel
Barbara J. Comstock, 225-5074

Chief Investigative Counsel
James C. Wilson, 225-5074

Senior Counsel
Tim Griffin, 225-5047

Press Secretary
Mark Corallo, 225-5074

Professional Staff Members
Beth Clay, 225-5074
Jane Cobb, 225-5074

Democrats (19)
Henry A. Waxman, Calif.
Tom Lantos, Calif.
Robert E. Wise Jr., W.Va.
Major R. Owens, N.Y.
Edolphus Towns, N.Y.
Paul E. Kanjorski, Pa.
Patsy Mink, Hawaii
Carolyn B. Maloney, N.Y.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.
Chaka Fattah, Pa.
Elijah Cummings, Md.
Dennis Kucinich, Ohio
Rod R. Blagojevich, Ill.
Danny K. Davis, Ill.
John F. Tierney, Mass.
Jim Turner, Texas
Tom Allen, Maine
Harold E. Ford Jr., Tenn.
Jan Schakowsky, Ill.

Independent (1)
Bernard Sanders, Vt.

Minority

Staff Director
Phil Schiliro, 225-5051

Chief Counsel
Phil Barnett, 225-5051

Chief Investigative Counsel
Ken Ballen, 225-5420

Professional Staff Member
Karen L. Lightfoot, 225-5051

Chief Clerk
Ellen Rayner, 225-5051