After winning control of the US House of Representatives from President Barack Obama?s Democrats in the November elections, Republicans will head the chamber?s committees when the new Congress convenes on Wednesday. Chairmen, working with party leaders, draft legislation in their respective jurisdictions and have the power to subpoena witnesses and call investigative hearings. Here are key committee chairs and some of their positions:

APPROPRIATIONS

Hal Rogers of Kentucky will take a lead role in efforts to cut the federal budget. Rogers beat out Jerry Lewis, the committee?s top Republican last year, with a promise to use his position to push back against environmental regulations and other Obama administration policies.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

As chairman, Spencer Bachus of Alabama will replace Democrat Barney Frank, a chief architect of Obama?s crackdown on Wall Street that included tightening regulation of the financial industry. Bachus has said he will try to roll back portions of the sweeping law.

ARMED SERVICES

Howard McKeon of California will help oversee Obama?s troop buildup in Afghanistan and planned withdrawal. As the panel?s top Republican last year, McKeon unsuccessfully pushed to increase defence spending, particularly on ballistic missiles.

BUDGET

Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, one of the Republican ?young guns?, will be a key player in his party?s vow to shrink government. Determined to cut record US deficits, Ryan has offered a plan that calls for gradually raising the retirement age to 70, reducing future Social Security benefits for the rich and capping Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, who in 1988 became the first Cuban-American and the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, opposes legislation to ease travel and trade restrictions with Cuba.

ENERGY & COMMERCE

Fred Upton of Michigan will head the powerful panel that has oversight of energy policy, healthcare and telecommunications. The moderate congressman waged a high-profile campaign for the committee chairmanship in an effort to show he supports conservative causes. Representative Joe Barton, a former chairman of the committee, was passed over.

OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM

Darrell Issa of California is expected to launch investigations of the Obama administration, including the $814 billion economic stimulus programme. In October, Issa referred to Obama as ?one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times?. But just days after the November election, he tempered his remarks.

WAYS & MEANS

Dave Camp of Michigan, a key figure in the 1996 overhaul of the US welfare system, will take a lead role in the Republican drive to create jobs by cutting taxes. He promises to push for approval of free trade agreements drafted during the Bush administration that have been blocked by Democrats. The panel will also be pivotal in the Republican bid to repeal Obama?s healthcare law or parts of it.

AGRICULTURE

Frank Lucas of Oklahoma is a defender of traditional farm subsidies. But with Congress under pressure to find ways to cut spending, potential targets include much-criticised federal crop supports. Republicans may push for the largest cuts in 15 years to farm programmes.

TRANSPORTATION

John Mica of Florida is likely to quash any talk of new airline regulation and lead efforts to craft legislation spelling out US priorities on transportation spending, including billions of dollars for road, rail, seaport and airport construction projects.

JUDICIARY

Representative Lamar Smith of Texas opposes Obama?s bid to resurrect a bill rejected in the last Congress. The ?Dream Act? would provide a path to US citizenship to illegal immigrants who came to the country as children. Smith complains the measure would amount to an unwarranted amnesty, take jobs from American workers and encourage more illegal immigrants.