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.
Financial Services–Barney Frank of Massachusetts, a longtime advocate of affordable housing, has pledged a recommitment to its construction if made chairman of the committee.
Government Reform–The committee's jurisdiction includes many of the investigative functions of the House, and Henry Waxman has made clear he intends to use that power if made chairman. As chair of the health and environment subcommittee in the early '90s,the Los Angeles congressman was the man responsible for the well-publicized hearings that brought top tobacco executives to the Hill. As ranking Democrat on Government Reform, Waxman has relentlessly called for investigations and sought information from the Bush administration on everything from prewar intelligence to its dealings with energy companies.
Homeland Security–A former volunteer firefighter, Mississippi's Bennie Thompson has prioritized first responders as ranking Democrat on the committee, most recently criticizing the GOP for blocking a program to improve communication for police and fire agencies. Thompson has been a tireless critic of what he characterizes as halfhearted implementation of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations and ongoing vulnerabilities to terrorist attack. He has also used his position to lambaste the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.
House Administration–As chair of the committee overseeing the internal functioning of the House and federal elections, Juanita Millender-McDonald of Long Beach would probably continue expressing her concerns about voting machines without a paper trail and her opposition to requiring a photo ID and proof of citizenship for voting.
International Relations–Congress's only Holocaust survivor, Tom Lantos of California, is generally more hawkish on Iraq than his Democratic colleagues, staunchly pro-Israel, and sensitive to the genocide in Sudan.
Judiciary–John Conyers of Detroit, a veteran of the panels handling the impeachment of Presidents Nixon and Clinton, seemed eager to go for a hat trick when he pushed a resolution to explore impeaching Bush. Democratic leaders have been less than receptive to the suggestion, however, and Conyers himself has backed away from it. Still, expect oversight hearings from the vocal antiwar critic.
Resources–From West Virginia's coal country, Nick Rahall has displayed a consistent concern for the health of coal miners. But he also has solid credentials as an environmentalist, including opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve and opening land in the West for coal mining without competitive bidding.
Rules–Louise Slaughter of New York has vocally opposed the GOP's manipulation of House rules, such as extending debate while cajoling Republicans to vote the party line, and pushed for more aggressive reform of earmarks.
Science–The committee's not too controversial, and neither is Bart Gordon of Tennessee, the Democrat who would head the panel. But he has still managed to needle the Bush administration in some areas, such as about reports it has suppressed science on global warming.
Small Business–Nydia Velázquez of New York City has called the years under Republican Chairman Don Manzullo some of the least productive in the committee's history and has been a frequent critic of the Small Business Administration's response to business needs after Hurricane Katrina.
Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics)–Under Republican control, investigations of former Majority Leader Tom DeLay were stalled while members squabbled about the rules and staff. If made committee chair, expect Howard Berman of California, now involved in the hearings over the Mark Foley page scandal, to use his new power to investigate the so-called culture of corruption.
Transportation and Infrastructure–-The committee is not known for its partisan rancor, and Minnesota's James Oberstar would probably do the same thing as chairman that he does as ranking Democrat–push for generous transportation bills and send plenty of earmarks back home.
Veterans Affairs–California's liberal Bob Filner, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, has highlighted what he sees as the government's inadequate response to issues like post-traumatic stress disorder and its handling of the loss of a laptop containing veterans' personal information.
Ways and Means–New York City's fiery Charles Rangel is poised to take the chairmanship of the committee, which has jurisdiction over taxes, tariffs, and a number of entitlement programs. The 18-term congressman, who voted against the 2002 resolution authorizing war in Iraq, has hinted that he might move to cut funding for the war if made chairman, a statement that has been jumped on by Republicans but that Democrats have largely been cool to. Expect a fierce defense of funding for social programs and opposition to the Bush tax cuts.
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence–California's Jane Harman is the Democrats' ranking member, but some of her terrorism votes have angered party members. Despite being the only member of Congress ever impeached and removed as a federal judge, Florida's Alcee Hastings has the backing of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and the liberal credentials to win him the chairmanship.