The leading congressional critic of ballistic missile defense programs will retain her powerful post overseeing those efforts, as the 111th Congress organizes itself for the next two years.

Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.), will continue to chair the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) strategic forces subcommittee, HASC Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) announced.

However, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee, Rep. Terry Everett of Alabama, has departed, to be replaced by Rep. Michael Turner of Ohio as the ranking GOP member. John M. McHugh of New York, the ranking Republican on the full HASC, tapped Turner for the post.

While Turner has focused on various non-defense issues such as economic stimulus measures, McHugh also retained Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) on the strategic forces panel.

Franks is a stalwart supporter of missile defense programs, and co-founder of the congressional Missile Defense Caucus. He has spoken out strongly against authorization cuts that Tauscher has proposed in past years to some missile shield programs, such as the Airborne Laser.

Other Democrats on the strategic forces panel joining Tauscher will be John Spratt of South Carolina, a budget expert, Loretta Sanchez of California, Rob Andrews of New Jersey, Jim Langevin of Rhode Island, Rick Larsen of Washington state, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.

Other Republican strategic forces subcommittee members along with Turner and Franks are Howard "Buck" McKeon of California, Mac Thornberry of Texas, and Doug Lamborn of Colorado.

That means that Democrats will have an 8-to-5 edge in members on the panel. They take their seats as a Democrat, Barack Obama, moves to occupy the White House for the first time in eight years. (Please see separate story in this issue.)

These are the members of the other HASC subcommittees.

Democrats:

Readiness Subcommittee

Chairman Solomon Ortiz, Texas

Gene Taylor, Mississippi

Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii

Silvestre Reyes, Texas

Jim Marshall, Georgia

Madeleine Bordallo, Guam

Dan Boren, Oklahoma

Hank Johnson, Georgia

Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire

Joe Courtney, Connecticut

David Loebsack, Iowa

Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona

Glenn Nye, Virginia

Larry Kissell, North Carolina

Martin Heinrich, New Mexico

Frank Kratovil, Maryland

Bobby Bright, Alabama

Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee

Chairman Gene Taylor, Mississippi

Solomon Ortiz, Texas

Jim Langevin, Rhode Island

Rick Larsen, Washington

Brad Ellsworth, Indiana

Joe Courtney, Connecticut

Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania

Glenn Nye, Virginia

Chellie Pingree, Maine

Eric Massa, New York

Air and Land Forces Subcommittee

Chairman Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii

John Spratt, South Carolina

Silvestre Reyes, Texas

Adam Smith, Washington

Mike McIntyre, North Carolina

Ellen O. Tauscher, California

Robert Brady, Pennsylvania

Jim Cooper, Tennessee

Jim Marshall, Georgia

Dan Boren, Oklahoma

Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania

Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona

Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts

Larry Kissell, North Carolina

Frank Kratovil, Maryland

Eric Massa, New York

Bobby Bright, Alabama

Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

Chairman Vic Snyder, Arkansas

John Spratt, South Carolina

Loretta Sanchez, California

Ellen O. Tauscher, California

Susan A. Davis, California

Jim Cooper, Tennessee

Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania

Glenn Nye, Virginia

Chellie Pingree, Maine

Terrorism and Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee

Chairman Adam Smith, Washington

Mike McIntyre, North Carolina

Rob Andrews, New Jersey

Jim Langevin, Rhode Island

Jim Cooper, Tennessee

Jim Marshall, Georgia

Brad Ellsworth, Indiana

Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania

Kirsten Gillibrand, New York

Bobby Bright, Alabama

Military Personnel Subcommittee

Chairwoman Susan A. Davis, California

Vic Snyder, Arkansas

Loretta Sanchez, California

Madeleine Bordallo, Guam

Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania

Hank Johnson, Georgia

Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire

David Loebsack, Iowa

Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts

Republicans:

Air and Land Forces (17/13)

Roscoe Bartlett (MD), Ranking Member

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA)

Mary Fallin (OK)

Duncan D. Hunter (CA)

John Fleming (LA)

Mike Coffman (CO)

Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (CA)

W. Todd Akin (MO)

Jeff Miller (FL)

Joe Wilson (SC)

Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ)

Rob Bishop (UT)

Michael R. Turner (OH)

Military Personnel (9/6)

Joe Wilson (SC), Ranking Member

Walter B. Jones (NC)

John Kline (MN)

Tom Rooney (FL)

Robert J. Wittman (VA)

Mary Fallin (OK)

Readiness (17/12)

J. Randy Forbes (VA), Ranking Member

Rob Bishop (UT)

Mike Rogers (AL)

Trent Franks (AZ)

Bill Shuster (PA)

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA)

Michael Conaway (TX)

Doug Lamborn (CO)

Robert J. Wittman (VA)

Mary Fallin (OK)

John Fleming (LA)

Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ)

Seapower and Expeditionary Forces (10/7)

W. Todd Akin (MO), Ranking Member

Robert J. Wittman (VA)

Roscoe Bartlett (MD)

J. Randy Forbes (VA)

Duncan D. Hunter (CA)

Mike Coffman (CO)

Tom Rooney (FL)

Strategic Forces (8/5)

Michael Turner (OH), Ranking Member

Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (CA)

Mac Thornberry (TX)

Trent Franks (AZ)

Doug Lamborn (CO)

Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities (10/7)

Jeff Miller (FL), Ranking Member

Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ)

John Kline (MN)

Bill Shuster (PA)

Michael Conaway (TX)

Tom Rooney (FL)

Mac Thornberry (TX)