Government affairs

Today, Rep. James Comer (R-KY) was selected to become Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) replacing Jim Jordan (R-OH), who recently took over as Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee.

Comer was elected to Congress in 2016 to serve the 1st congressional district of Kentucky, which is the western-most part of the state. The 1st district was previously represented by Ed Whitfield who retired in 2016. Comer grew up in Monroe County and studied agriculture at Western Kentucky University and later bought his first farm “Comer Farms,” which continues to operate in the state. Comer began his career in public service in 2000 when he was elected to the Kentucky State House. In 2011, he was elected to become Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture. Throughout his career in the state and in Washington, Comer has touted a record of conservatism and interest in curbing government waste, fraud and abuse.

“I believe our role should be to seek the truth and that's what I'm going to do as ranking member and I'm blessed to have a great committee — that's a committee filled with a lot of fighters and a lot of institutional knowledge,” said Comer. “I am excited to take the reins as Ranking Member and take my obligation to pursue legitimate waste, fraud and abuse in government very seriously.”

Comer is also a member of the House Agriculture Committee and House Education and Labor Committee, Subcommittee on Civil and Human Rights. Prior to his selection as Ranking Member of COR, he was the Ranking Member of both the (COR) Subcommittee on the Environment, and the Education and Labor Committee’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.

As it relates to the Postal Service, aside from cosponsoring H.Res. 54, which calls on Congress to maintain six-day mail delivery, there is little information regarding his postal priorities. He has not cosponsored House resolutions on door delivery, Postal Service privatization or service standards. In addition, he opposed the USPS Fairness Act (H.R. 2382) when it came up for a vote in February.

“NALC congratulates Ranking Member Comer on his new assignment and looks forward to working with him,” said NALC President Fred Rolando. “Now more than ever and with so much uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic, NALC stands committed to working with Ranking Member Comer and Chairwoman Maloney to ensure that the Postal Service continues to serve communities and businesses while providing good middle-class jobs to our people on the front lines.”