Pelosi lays out several Dem leadership nominations

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her nominations for several Democratic leadership positions Friday in a letter to colleagues.

{mosads}To co-chair the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, Pelosi tapped Reps. Cheri Bustos (Ill.), Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), and Matt Cartwright (Pa.).

The committee was previously chaired by just one lawmaker, retiring Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), and was an appointed position. Pelosi announced a proposal split the duties between three members, make the positions elected, and reserve them for lawmakers who have served fewer than five terms. 

She suggested Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) to continue on as a chair of the Steering and Policy Committee and proposed that her current vice chair Rep. Eric Swalwell (Calif.) become a co-chair. 

Pelosi nominated Rep. John Yarmuth (Ky.) to serve as the ranking member of the Budget Committee, replacing Rep. Chis Van Hollen (Md.), who was elected to the Senate. 

And she renominated Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.) to chair the party’s campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

“This team of new and experienced leaders is dedicated to working with their entire Caucus to make the future better for the American people,” she wrote. 

Pelosi, as she tries to hold onto her leadership position against a challenge from Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio), has proposed expanded leadership positions, including five regional vice chairs at the DCCC. 

She said in her letter that the caucus must now decide on how to divide the regions and pick the vice chairs.

House Democrats will hold their leadership elections Wednesday.