Criticized GOP adds a woman to chair House committee

House Republicans have named Rep. Candice Miller to chair a committee after coming under fire for appointing only white men to the top Congressional jobs. 

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced Friday that Rep. Miller, a Republican from Michigan, will lead the House Administration Committee, reports the Washington Post.

The committee deals with the nuts and bolts of House operations from deciding what's served in the cafeteria to overseeing retirement benefits for members of Congress.

According to the Seattle P-I, Miller never served on the committee and had earlier lost out on a bid to chair the House Committee on Homeland Security, on which she served. 

Boehner said he picked Miller because her experience as the Secretary of State of Michigan.  Boehner called that experience "invaluable, given the committee's oversight of campaign finance and election laws," reports CBS News.

"From ensuring the House runs efficiently and smoothly, to making Congress more open and accessible, Candice has a big job ahead as chairman of the House Administration Committee," House Speaker John Boehner said in a statement. "In her new post, Candice will provide the leadership needed to keep operating costs down, save taxpayer dollars, and help lawmakers use new technology to better engage with their constituents."

In a statement printed by NPR News, Miller said she was "humbled and honored" by being named to lead the committee. 

"Most importantly, this committee has jurisdiction over the federal election process and I am absolutely committed to making certain that we enact rules to ensure this nation continues to have open, free and fair elections."

House committee chairs were about to become an all-white, all-male group as Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida prepares to step down as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She's currently the only woman holding a chairmanship. 

The Washington Post reports that Miller got the job even though Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) had more seniority and was angling for the position.

House Democrats are expected to have five women as ranking committee members.