McMorris Rodgers Lays Out Vision as Top Republican on Energy & Commerce WASHINGTON, DC — With a new Congress beginning earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) took over as the new Republican Leader of the Energy & Commerce Committee. First elected to Congress in 2004, she has served in House leadership as the Republican Conference Chair in the past and is a veteran member of the panel. She appeared Wednesday afternoon before a virtual meeting of The Ripon Society and began her remarks by touching on her new role on the Committee and what the overall objectives will be for her and her colleagues moving forward.