by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)
With Republicans taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, is poised to lead the House Natural Resources Committee.
Westerman, who was first elected to Congress in 2014, is the ranking member on the committee. A forester and engineer by trade, he was re-elected earlier this month to his fifth term.
While there are still a handful of close House races to be called, Republicans have won 218 seats, enough to secure the majority. Democrats have presently been declared victors in 210 House seats. There are still seven races too close to call.
