Looking into the US Senate Committee... Pro-Alliance and IRA Critic Appointed as Chair Related to Korea

In the 119th United States Congress inaugurated this year, all the chairpersons leading the Senate standing committees have changed to members of the majority Republican Party. The standing committees related to diplomacy and security are chaired by figures who value the South Korea-US alliance. However, committees that could impact South Korea's industries are dominated by individuals critical of the Biden administration's policies.

Jim Risch, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to Congress and Bloomberg Government on the 7th (local time), Senator Jim Risch, who served as the Republican ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee in the 118th Congress, was elected as the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, which wields significant influence over South Korea-US relations and US North Korea policy.

Risch, a three-term senator, previously served as the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee in the 117th Congress (2021?2022) and as chairman in the 116th Congress (2019?2020). He has advocated for active US foreign engagement, supporting aid to Ukraine and urging strengthening Taiwan's defense to deter China. He is also a prominent figure who emphasizes the importance of the South Korea-US alliance.

The chairman of the Armed Services Committee will be Senator Roger Wicker, classified as a hardliner against China. Wicker, who served as the Republican ranking member in the 118th Congress, like Risch, has sparked attention by arguing for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula to counter the North Korean nuclear threat. With Senator Marco Rubio, the former vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, nominated as the next Secretary of State, Senator Tom Cotton will lead the committee. Cotton has consistently expressed the view that the South Korea-US alliance must be firmly maintained to counter threats from China and North Korea.

Roger Wicker, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. Photo by Getty Images Yonhap News

Several individuals critical of the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other policies have been appointed to committees that could affect South Korean companies and industries. Senator Mike Crapo, the Republican ranking member of the Finance Committee, which oversees tariffs, taxes, trade agreements, and import quotas, was elected chairman. Crapo has criticized the IRA's clean energy subsidies as financially burdensome and benefiting Chinese companies.

Mike Crapo, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Photo by UPI Yonhap News

Senator Mike Lee, who will chair the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is also a Republican who has strongly criticized the IRA. John Barrasso, formerly the ranking member of the Energy Committee, has become the Senate Majority Whip. The Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, related to the Semiconductor Support Act (CSA) , is chaired by ranking member Ted Cruz. Cruz has opposed the Biden administration's vehicle emissions regulations aimed at expanding electric vehicle adoption and the IRA's methane emissions tax.

Additionally, Senator Tim Scott, who withdrew from the Republican presidential primary and supported Donald Trump's election, was elected chairman of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. This committee is considered to have significant influence on South Korean companies due to its jurisdiction over trade promotion, export controls, and industrial subsidies. Furthermore, Senator Susan Collins chairs the Appropriations Committee overseeing federal spending, Senator Chuck Grassley chairs the Judiciary Committee, and Senator Lindsey Graham chairs the Budget Committee.

Ted Cruz, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Unlike the South Korean National Assembly, all standing committee chairpersons in the US Congress are held by the majority party. Typically, the longest-serving senior member of the committee during the term becomes the chairperson, so it is common for the ranking member of the 118th Congress to become the chairperson in the 119th Congress. Currently, the Senate comprises 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. In the House, after two members resign ahead of joining the Trump administration, the composition is expected to be 217 Republicans and 215 Democrats until special elections are held.