The United States House Republican Steering Committee on Tuesday voted to back U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03) as the next ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services, according to report by Defense News.

Rogers is currently the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security.

He is also a senior member of Armed Services, currently serving on the subcommittees on Readiness and Strategic Forces.

The full GOP Conference is reportedly expected later this week to ratify the steering committee’s recommended slate of committee chairmen for the 117th Congress, which begins on January 3.

U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), the current Armed Services ranking member, did not seek reelection this year.

Rogers, whose district includes Anniston Army Depot and a part of Fort Benning, has been a major advocate for what ultimately became the Space Force, the first new American military branch since 1947. He has been a member of Congress since January 2003.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn