Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) will be the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee when the 112th Congress convenes in January, Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), outgoing committee chairman, announced last week. Smith has overseen the HASC air and land forces subcommittee during the 111th Congress. He moves into the top minority spot since several of the longest-serving Democrat committee members, like Skelton, Rep. John Spratt (S.C.), and Rep. Gene Taylor (Miss.), aren’t returning after losing their re-lection bids. In related news, HASC Chairman-elect Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) announced the names of the new Republican committee members for the 112th: Rep. Mo Brooks (Ala.), Rep. Chris Gibson (N.Y.), Rep. Tim Griffin (Ark.), Rep. Vicky Hartzler (Mo.), Rep. Steve Palazzo (Miss.), Rep. Scott Rigell (Va.), Rep. Martha Roby (Ala.), Rep. Jon Runyan (N.J.), Rep. Bobby Schilling (Ill.), Rep. Austin Scott (Ga.), Allen West (Fla.), and Todd Young (Ind.).
Dick Cheney’s Legacy with the Air Force
Nov. 6, 2025
Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at 84, is best remembered by most Americans as among the most powerful Vice Presidents in history, a consummate Washington insider who had previously served in the Nixon administration, was Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford, a Congressman for a decade, and Secretary…
