On December 15, 2010, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) announced the members who will lead six different subcommittees.  Upton also announced that Joe Barton (R-TX) will serve as the Chairman Emeritus for the Committee, and Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee will be Sue Myrick (R-NC). 

Chairman Upton will be splitting the Energy and Environment Subcommittee into two separate subcommittees: 1) Energy and Power and 2) Environment and Economy.  The Energy and Power Subcommittee will be chaired by Ed Whitfield (R-KY).  John Sullivan will serve as the Energy and Power Vice-Chair (R-OK).  John Shimkus (R-IL) will lead the Environment and Economy subcommittee, and Tim Murphy(R-PA) will serve as that subcommittee’s Vice-Chair.  Cliff Stearns (R-FL) will lead the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation.

Just one day earlier, Upton also named Gary Andres, a former Assistant for Legislative Affairs to President George H.W. Bush and advisor for the George W. Bush presidential transition team, as the entire committee’s Staff Director.   Also, on December 29, 2010, Upton named senior staff members that will be joining Andres.  Michael Beckerman, a former Michael Conaway’s (R-TX) Legislative Director, will be Deputy Staff Director.  General Counsel for the entire committee will be Jim Barnette, and Maryam Brown will serve as the General Counsel for the Energy and Power Subcommittee.

A copy of the press releases announcing Upton’s subcommittee chair selections are available on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s website and here.  Also the press release announcing Upton’s senior staff is available here.