Johnson Expands House Intelligence Panel to Include Stefanik

He also added Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) to the committee, which went from having 25 to 27 panelists.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on her nomination to be ambassador to the United Nations, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 21, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has added Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to the House Intelligence Committee.

Johnson made room for Stefanik by expanding the number of seats on the permanent select committee. He also added Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) to the committee, which went from having 25 to 27 members. The move was approved unanimously by the House on June 6.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Stefanik’s office for comment.

Stefanik, who has been on the committee since 2017, has remained in Congress after President Donald Trump withdrew her nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

She had relinquished her role as House GOP conference chairwoman ahead of being on an almost-certain path to confirmation.

However, Trump withdrew the nomination in March, citing the possibility of her seat, which she has held since January 2015, going to the Democrats, and the need for Trump and Johnson to have almost every Republican on board when it comes to passing Trump’s legislative agenda.

The GOP only narrowly controls the House, and Johnson can only afford to lose a few Republicans votes along party lines.

“I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,” posted Trump on Truth Social.

Stefanik rejoined House GOP leadership in April as chairwoman of House Republican Leadership.

“I am honored to be appointed Chairwoman of House Republican Leadership to lead House Republicans in implementing President Donald Trump’s mandate from the American people for an America First agenda that includes securing our borders, strengthening our national security, growing our economy, and combating the scourge of antisemitism across our country,” she said in a statement.

The position, according to Stefanik’s office, “is a senior leadership appointed position focused on strategy, communications, and executing on the mandate from the American people to pass President Trump’s agenda.”

In addition to the House Intelligence Committee, Stefanik serves on the House Education and Workforce Committee, where she has been known to grill college and university presidents about anti-Semitism on their campuses.

Stefanik has also been rumored as a possible candidate for governor of New York in the 2026 election.

“This is my 11th year in Congress. I flipped a district,” she said on “The Ben Shapiro Show” on June 5.

“We win not only Republicans, but Democrats and independents as well, and we’ve built up this local infrastructure and grassroots flipping multiple counties in my district,” she continued.

“We’re hoping to do that across the state to lay the groundwork for next year to fire Kathy Hochul once and for all.”