Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, said Friday he is seeking the chairmanship of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to continue investigating what he described as widespread government fraud while pushing back against "wokeism" and advocating for taxpayers.
Speaking on Newsmax TV's National Report, Fallon outlined his priorities if selected to lead the powerful committee after current Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., whose tenure is expected to end because of House Republican term limits.
"The Oversight Committee is an interesting committee because it can be nothing or can be everything," Fallon said. "It has a broad umbrella and vast subpoena power."
Fallon praised Comer's leadership, saying the Kentucky Republican has "done a fantastic job" leading the panel.
Fallon, who has served on the committee throughout Comer's tenure, said he wants to build on its work if Republicans retain control of the House after the midterm elections.
"We really need to take that gavel, hold it," Fallon said. "If we can hold the House and investigate the billions, if not trillions of dollars worth of fraud that we have uncovered over the last — specifically the last two years — that's the first thing we have to fight back on."
Fallon also said the committee should play a role in countering what he called "wokeism," arguing that conservatives face disadvantages across major cultural institutions.
"Wokeism," he said, is another issue the committee should confront because "the left owns so many different mediums of communication."
"They're very dominant with TV, Hollywood, the universities," Fallon said. "And we need to combat that with just simple truths."
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is one of Congress' most powerful investigative panels. It has broad jurisdiction over federal agencies and government operations and can issue subpoenas as part of its investigations.
Fallon said the committee's broad authority makes the chairmanship a unique opportunity to shape oversight of the executive branch while advancing Republican priorities.
"Somebody needs to be a fierce advocate for the American taxpayer," Fallon said.
While he said there are "several different things" a chairman can pursue, Fallon said investigating government fraud and challenging what he described as left-wing cultural influence would be his top priorities.
"But really, those are the prime ones that we need to focus on," Fallon said.
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