119th Congress

Rep.-elect Gabe Evans (R-CO), a Colorado state House member and Army veteran, is set to bring personal experience as a service member in the Middle East, under fire from Iranian rockets, to Capitol Hill in January.

Evans, as a helicopter pilot in the Colorado Army National Guard, operated in nine countries in the Middle East in support of the Afghanistan war — though he never personally deployed inside the country.

House Republicans are adding three freshmen to the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Why it matters: It was once rare for freshmen to score a spot on E&C, but the panel has had plenty of churn lately. The GOP already added new Rep. John James to the committee in this Congress.

Driving the news: Incoming Reps. Julie Fedorchak, Craig Goldman and Gabe Evans are joining next year.

There's a youth movement afoot in Congress these days, as three freshman Republicans will join the ranks of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee next year.

Republicans added a total of 10 lawmakers to the Energy and Commerce committee recently, a huge number of new faces due to a spate of retirements and members being elected to other offices. Adding to that was the steering committee’s selection of Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) to head the Education and the Workforce Committee on Thursday, opening up another spot on E&C.

U.S. Rep-elect Gabe Evans (Col-R) from Colorado's 8th Congressional District, has secured a seat on one of the most powerful committees -- the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

It is the oldest committee in the House and has the broadest jurisdiction of any committee.

The Energy and Commerce Committee oversees telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health and research, interstate and foreign commerce and environmental and energy policies.

U.S. Rep.-elect Gabe Evans was named on Friday to the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, making the Fort Lupton Republican the first incoming freshman to be added to the panel in 14 years.