Republican Study Committee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair | August Pfluger (TX–11) |
| Founded | 1973; 53 years ago (1973) |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Right-wing[2] |
| National affiliation | Republican Party |
| Colors | Red |
| Seats in theHouse Republican Conference | 188 / 218[a] |
| Seats in theHouse | 188 / 435[a] |
| Website | |
| rsc-pfluger | |
TheRepublican Study Committee (RSC) is acongressional caucus ofconservative members of theRepublican Party in theUnited States House of Representatives.[3][4] In November 2024, RepresentativeAugust Pfluger was elected as the chair of the RSC, effective as of January 2025.[5]
Although the primary functions of the RSC vary from year to year, it has always pushed for significant cuts in non-defense spending,[6] advocated socially conservative legislation,[7] and supported theright to keep and bear arms.[8] It has proposed an alternative budget every year since 1995.[9] In 2007, in conjunction with the unveiling of its "Taxpayer Bill of Rights",[10] it presented an alternative budget resolution that it claimed would balance the budget within five years without increasingincome taxes.[11][12]
Entering the119th United States Congress, the RSC was the largest conservative caucus in Congress.[5]
The RSC's legislative initiatives are detailed in theAmerican Taxpayer Bill of Rights,[13] unveiled in March 2007.[14]
The RSC was founded in 1973 byPaul Weyrich and other conservative activists to keep a watch on the House Republican leadership, which they saw as too moderate. Their formation mirrored the rise of theDemocratic Study Group, a liberal force in theDemocratic Caucus founded in 1959. The group's first chairman wasPhil Crane ofIllinois.
The group briefly dissolved in 1995 whenNewt Gingrich abolished it and other similar groups[15] after the Republicans won control of the House for the first time in 40 years. It was soon resurrected as the Conservative Action Team (CATs) byDan Burton ofIndiana (the last chair of the original RSC),Sam Johnson ofTexas,John Doolittle ofCalifornia andErnest Istook ofOklahoma. These four founders alternated as chairs throughout the following two Congresses untilDavid McIntosh of Indiana became chair in 1998. The group was restored to its original RSC name whenJohn Shadegg became chair in 2001.[16]
Paul Teller spent over ten years as Executive Director of RSC. He was fired in December 2013 bySteve Scalise for divulging member conversations.[17] Teller had been working with two outside groups in opposition to a budget deal forged byPaul Ryan andPatty Murray.[18]
| Start | End | Chair(s) | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 1989 | Phil Crane | IL-12 |
| 1989 | 1993 | Tom DeLay | TX-22 |
| 1993 | 1995 | Dan Burton | IN-06 |
| 1995 | 1999 | Dan Burton | IN-06 |
| John Doolittle | CA-04 | ||
| Ernest Istook | OK-05 | ||
| Sam Johnson | TX-03 | ||
| 1999 | 2000 | David McIntosh | IN-02 |
| 2000 | 2001 | Sam Johnson | TX-03 |
| 2001 | 2003 | John Shadegg | AZ-04 |
| 2003 | 2005 | Sue Myrick | NC-09 |
| 2005 | 2007 | Mike Pence | IN-06 |
| 2007 | 2009 | Jeb Hensarling | TX-05 |
| 2009 | 2011 | Tom Price | GA-06 |
| 2011 | 2013 | Jim Jordan | OH-04 |
| 2013 | 2014 | Steve Scalise | LA-01 |
| 2014 | 2015 | Rob Woodall | GA-07 |
| 2015 | 2017 | Bill Flores | TX-17 |
| 2017 | 2019 | Mark Walker | NC-06 |
| 2019 | 2021 | Mike Johnson | LA-04 |
| 2021 | 2023 | Jim Banks | IN-03 |
| 2023 | 2025 | Kevin Hern | OK-01 |
| 2025 | present | August Pfluger | TX-11 |
The RSC membership list is available on the group's website.[19] It counts former vice presidentsMike Pence,Dan Quayle andDick Cheney and former House majority leaderTom DeLay among its former members. In addition, at least two sitting senators—John Boozman (AR) andRoger Wicker (MS)—were members of the RSC while serving in the House. At least three former governors–Pence (IN),Butch Otter (ID) andBobby Jindal (LA)—were also members.
On June 16, 2010, the committee issued a press release critical of the administration of U.S. presidentBarack Obama for negotiating an agreement with energy companyBP to waive the $75 million federal limit on oil company liability for oil spills. The statement called the agreement requiring BP to set aside $20 billion to pay damage claims for theDeepwater Horizon oil spill a "Chicago-style political shakedown" by the White House.[24]
In July 2013, the Republican Study Committee barredthe Heritage Foundation employees from attending its weekly meeting in the Capitol, reversing a decades-old policy, over disagreements about thefarm bill.[25]
In June 2015, the Republican Study Committee reacted to the Supreme Court decision thatlegalized same-sex marriage, calling it "a loss for democratic self-government" and stating "we should work to promote the truth of marriage between a man and a woman."[26]
In 2021, their policy positions included maintaining theHyde Amendment, constructing awall on the southern border, and ending perceived censorship of conservative-leaning content.[27]
In 2026, the Republican Study Committee unveiled its framework for a second reconciliation bill (following theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2024) with the stated goal of making theAmerican Dream affordable again. It argues that there are three things are pricing families out of the American Dream: housing costs, healthcare costs, and energy costs, and claim their blueprint provides solutions for all three.[28]
Since January 25th, 2025, the Republican Study Committee no longer publishes its membership roster on its website.[29] In May 2025, the caucus had 189 members in total.[30] Currently, at least 25 members are also known to be part of theFreedom Caucus, which does not officially publish membership lists.
Non-voting members
*Also a member of theFreedom Caucus.
| National | |
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| Other | |
