Democrats Emerge: the Would-Be House Chairmen
House committee chairmanships are usually reserved for the oldest and most experienced members, and Democrats will certainly have their fair share of senior citizens if they win back control of the chamber in November. But the demographics of committee chairmanships would also skew toward the liberal side of the party, toward California (six members of the delegation are likely chairmen), and toward the Congressional Black Caucus (five members are poised to lead their committees). Here are the likely picks and how they could influence their committees:
Agriculture–A conservative Democrat who grew up on a farm, Minnesota's Collin Peterson would most likely continue strong support for farm subsidies and call for the expansion of the farm bill, while opposing international trade agreements like CAFTA and NAFTA.
Appropriations–Wisconsin's liberal David Obey is nearing 40 years on the Appropriations Committee and briefly held the chairmanship in 1994 before Democrats lost the House. His time as chairman was marked by efficiency: It was the only time in more than 50 years that all 13 appropriations bills were passed before the new fiscal year. Obey has maintained that the military is critically underfunded, and he can be expected to promote both large military budgets and high domestic spending while resisting any Bush administration attempts at Social Security or Medicare reform. But he has also suggested that limiting earmarks and wasteful spending will be a priority.
Armed Services–"Oversight, oversight, oversight!" Missouri's Ike Skelton told the National Journal when asked about his plans should he chair the committee. Though ineligible for military service because of polio as a youth, the moderate Skelton has sons in the Army and Navy and is considered one of the House's foremost military experts. After making his reservations about occupying Iraq known to President Bush, Skelton voted for the resolution authorizing the war. Since then, he has been vocal about what he sees as an underfunded military. Skelton has not called for a timetable for withdrawal but floated the idea of sending one American unit home for every three Iraqi units deemed proficient.
Budget–South Carolina's John Spratt has been a frequent critic of the budget deficits and rising national debt under the Bush administration.
Education and the Workforce–Veteran California lawmaker George Miller worked with Republicans to draft No Child Left Behind legislation and has shown cautious optimism about the program's success. The move earned some ire from teachers unions, despite Miller's generally strong support for organized labor.
Energy and Commerce–Michigan's John Dingell, who turned 80 this year, probably won't need much time to settle in if he is made chair of Energy and Commerce–he held the position from 1981 to 1995. Dingell is the longest-serving member of Congress (51 years), and his general sympathy for environmental concerns would most likely be tempered by his allegiance to his car-manufacturing Detroit district. Dingell's role on Commerce would give him a hand in crafting Democratic plans to modify 2003's Medicare prescription drug law, and Dingell has said he would seek to reduce the role of private companies in the program. A veteran of oversight hearings, he is also considered likely to use the chairmanship to hammer the Bush administration.
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