Committee Vacancies (5):
Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) - Lost primary re-election bid
Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) - Lost re-election bid
Randy Kuhl (R-N.Y.) - Lost re-election bid
Thelma Drake (R-Va.) - Lost re-election bid
Nick Lampson (D-Texas) - Lost re-election bid
**The election race of Representative Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) has not been decided as of 5:00 PM EST on November 5th.

House Appropriations Committee
Representative David Obey (D-Wis.) is expected to keep the House Appropriations Committee Chairmanship. If Republicans do not change their committee leaders following Tuesday's election, Representative Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) will remain the ranking Republican on the panel. The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over annual federal transportation investment, will likely continue to be chaired by Representative John Olver (D-Mass.). The subcommittee's current ranking Republican, Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.), lost his bid for re-election, meaning there will be a vacancy that needs to be filled for the top GOP spot on this subcommittee. With the vast amount of retirements and defeats on the Republican side of this committee (see below), it is impossible to speculate on who may get this assignment.

Committee Vacancies (9):
Robert Cramer (D-Ala.) - Retired
Tom Udall (D-N.M.) - Ran successfully for Senate
Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) - Retired
James Walsh (R-N.Y.) - Retired
Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) - Retired
David Hobson (R-Ohio) - Retired
Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) - Retired
John Peterson (R-Pa.) - Retired
Joe Knollenberg - Lost re-election bid
**The election race of Representative Virgil Goode (R-Va.) has not been decided as of 5:00 PM EST on November 5th.

House Budget Committee
It is widely expected Representative John Spratt (D-S.C.), the panel's current top Democrat, will continue as chairman of the House Budget Committee during the next congressional session. The current ranking member, Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), will also likely retain his position.

Committee Vacancies (3):
Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) - Retired
Tom Allen (D-Maine) - Lost Senate bid
Jon Porter (R-Nev.) - Lost re-election bid

House Ways and Means Committee
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) will continue to hold this position. As a result of the retirement of the committee's current ranking Republican, Jim McCrery (R-La.), this highly coveted post will be open. Two representatives, Wally Herger (R-Calif.) and Dave Camp (R-Mich.), have expressed interest in succeeding McCrery.