Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) will serve as chairman of the House Freedom Caucus until the end of 2025, a ruling confirmed Monday night, strengthening his leadership of the hard-line conservative caucus.
“I am honored to continue serving as chair of the House Freedom Caucus,” Harris said in a statement about her reelection. “This will be a pivotal year as we continue the fight to implement President Trump’s policies, reduce government spending, secure our borders, and protect our constitutional freedoms.”
Harris became Freedom Caucus chair in September, replacing Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), who resigned after losing the primary.
The Maryland congressman has represented the state's 1st Congressional District since 2011 and holds a powerful position on the House Appropriations Committee, including chairman of subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development and the Food and Drug Administration. is in charge of
The Freedom Caucus, which has about 30 members, has emerged as a frequent adversary of House Republican leadership in recent years, particularly on spending issues, pushing for federal spending cuts. It also aims for rules and policies within the House Republican Party that decentralize power and give more power to individual House members.
In its latest position, the caucus took sides on President-elect Trump's strategy for how to advance his ambitious legislative agenda.
In a letter, the Freedom Caucus told House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) that it supported a “fully offset” and “focused” border settlement in January, and that it has since “reduced taxes and spending.” We will move forward with a second, larger reconciliation bill that includes: , energy, bureaucracy, etc. ”
That's why some Republicans, like House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri), want a single settlement and have warned that tax provisions should be prioritized. This is in contrast to . cut.
Mr. Good was elected chairman in December 2023, but resigned after losing the primary to his challenger, Representative-elect John McGuire (R-Va.), who was nominated by Mr. Trump. President Trump has been vocally bitter about Goode's previous support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, and after DeSantis resigned, Goode's Trump I was not encouraged by the support. Goode's term was supposed to last until 2025.
Harris is the sixth chairman of the group, which was founded in 2015 by a group of conservatives including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and former Rep. Mark Meadows (RN.C.).
