Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has formally announced her bid to become the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability for the 119th Congress.
In a letter to her colleagues on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez laid out her candidacy to serve as the committee’s ranking member, a role currently held by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD).
“This is not a position I seek lightly,” the congresswoman wrote in the letter. “The responsibility of leading Democrats on the House Oversight Committee during Donald Trump’s second term in the White House is a profound and consequential one. Now, more than ever, we must focus on the Committee’s strong history of both holding administrations accountable and taking on the economic precarity and inequality that is challenging the American way of life.”
“In the 119th Congress, Oversight Committee Democrats will face an important task: we must balance our focus on the incoming president’s corrosive actions and corruption with a tangible fight to make life easier for America’s working class,” she continued.
As a prominent member of the progressive “Squad,” Ocasio-Cortez emphasized her commitment to leading robust oversight efforts and countering the policies of President-elect Trump’s incoming administration.
The committee plays a central role in investigating federal government activities, a responsibility Ocasio-Cortez highlighted as critical for Democrats to uphold accountability and transparency.
Her bid reflects an effort to solidify her influence within the Democratic caucus while continuing to advocate for progressive priorities. The decision on who will serve as ranking member is expected to be made in the coming weeks.
