Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) announced Thursday that he will take over as the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee next year, opting not to become the ranking member on the Senate Health Committee, where he also serves as a senior member.
The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is the Senate’s chief oversight committee, which will give Paul broad jurisdiction over federal departments and agencies.
Had Republicans won the Senate majority in last week’s elections, Paul could have spearheaded Senate investigations of the Biden administration.
The committee has authority to receive referrals on all legislation related to the national archives, the census, the federal civil service, the organization of the executive branch and the U.S. Postal Service.
“The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s mission of oversight and investigations is critical to Congress reasserting itself, and as ranking member, I look forward to continuing the storied history of this committee’s leadership in consequential bipartisan oversight and investigations,” Paul said in a statement.
“Given the committee’s duty to conduct oversight over the entire government, I remain hopeful that we will pursue a robust and bipartisan investigation into the origins of COVID,” he said.
When Paul won reelection to a third term last week, he told supporters: “When I return to the Senate, as chairman, I promise you this: The COVID cover-up will end. I will subpoena every last document of Dr. Fauci.”
“Congress has not held one hearing to investigate the origins of COVID,” he declared.
As a member of the Senate Health Committee, Paul clashed regularly with Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the president who became the face of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fauci told The Hill this week that he wasn’t worried about the prospect of heightened scrutiny if Republicans won control of the Senate.
“I have nothing to hide at all, despite the accusations that I’m hiding something,” he said.
Senate Republicans had thought that they would win the Senate majority, but those dreams were dashed after Democrat John Fetterman won an open Senate seat in Pennsylvania and Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) won tough reelection races.
Paul will have less latitude to issue subpoenas as a member of the minority.
Fauci, who has served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years, plans to retire from the federal government next month.