been working with two outside groups in opposition to a budget deal forged by Paul Ryan and Patty Murray. Chairs 1973–1989: Phil Crane (IL-12) 1989–1995: Dan Burton (IN-6) 1995–1999: Dan Burton (IN-6), John Doolittle (CA-4), Ernest Istook (OK-5), Sam Johnson (TX-3) 1999–2000: David M. McIntosh (IN-2) 2000–2001: Sam Johnson (TX-3) 2001–2003: John Shadegg (AZ-4) 2003–2005: Sue Myrick (NC-9) 2005–2007: Mike Pence (IN-6) 2007–2009: Jeb Hensarling (TX-5) 2009–2011: Tom Price (GA-6) 2011–2013: Jim Jordan (OH-4) 2013–2014: Steve Scalise (LA-1) 2014–2015: Rob Woodall (GA-7) 2015–2017: Bill Flores (TX-17) 2017–2019: Mark Walker (NC-6) 2019–2021: Mike Johnson (LA-4) 2021–2023: Jim Banks (IN-3) 2023–present: Kevin Hern (OK-1) Connections The organization has had ties to outside groups allied with conservative elements of the Republican Party, such as the National Rifle Association, the Heritage Foundation, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, the conservative magazine National Review, and the libertarian Cato Institute. A subgroup of the committee, the Values Action Team, coordinates legislation with religious organizations, including the Christian right. It has been headed by Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania since its formation in 1997. The RSC membership list is available at the group's website. It counts former Vice Presidents Mike Pence, Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay among its former members. In addition, at least four sitting senators—Pat Toomey (PA), Richard Burr (NC), John Boozman (AR), and Roger Wicker (MS)—were members of the RSC while serving in the House. At least three former governors–Pence (IN), Butch Otter (ID) and Bobby Jindal (LA)—were also members. Political issues On June 16, 2010, the committee issued a press release critical of the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama for negotiating an agreement with energy company BP to waive the $75 million federal limit on oil company liability for oil spills. The statement called the agreement requiring BP to set aside $20 billion to pay damage claims for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill a "Chicago-style political shakedown" by the White House. In June 2015, the Republican Study Committee reacted to the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, calling it "a loss for democratic self-government" and stating "we should work to promote the truth of marriage between a man and a woman." In July 2013, the Republican Study Committee barred Heritage Foundation employees from attending its weekly meeting in the Capitol, reversing a decades-old policy, over disagreements about the farm bill. In 2021, their