Maureen Lorenzetti
The 108th US Congress is in place with Republicans controlling both the House and Senate. But serious legislative work may not start until next month. That's largely because senators are fighting with each other over how their chamber will be reorganized now that Republicans are in the majority. Lawmakers must resolve partisan disputes over who sits on what committee and how much money each side gets for committee staff and investigations. Until senators sort out these basic questions, other legislation won't move forward.
The House, meanwhile, adjourned until 2 pm Jan. 27, making it unlikely Congress will pass overdue fiscal 2003 spending bills in January. House Appropriations Chairman Bill Young (R-Fla.) has said he wants to see that budget—unfinished business from the last Congress—completed before President George W. Bush's Jan. 28 State of the Union speech. But the Senate's reorganization woes, coupled with the House's absence, make that a very optimistic scenario.
New leaders
Amid the chaos, however, there are hints of order, with some announced and anticipated changes expected to occur once the Senate standoff ends, which at presstime was expected shortly.
In the House, the new chairman of the House Resources Committee is expected to be Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), a strong property rights advocate and protégé of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas. Producers anticipate Pombo to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors James Hansen (R-Utah) and Don Young (R-Alas.) and promote a multiple land-use strategy for public lands that includes expanded oil and gas access. Unsurprisingly, environmental groups deeply distrust Pombo. The League of Conservation Voters said Pombo voted with environmentalists only 9% on key votes during the last Congress. As chairman, he's expected to maintain that record.
Senate outlook
Republican leaders likely will add four new proindustry members to the Environment and Public Works Committee, which this session is expected to oversee reformulated fuel issues. The new members, Sens. Craig Thomas (Wyo.), Wayne Allard (Colo.), John Cornyn (Tex.), and Lisa Murkowski (Alas.) are expected to agree with much of the agenda being staked out by Chairman James Inhofe of Oklahoma, another friendly industry face. To make room for those new members, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) may be leaving the committee. Specter's absence would be a worry for environmental groups that see him as a moderate on clean air and water issues.
Meanwhile, it's unclear which Democrats will be on this or any other panel until the Senate reorganizes.
On the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) is expected to take the gavel as chairman; new GOP additions to the committee are likely to be freshmen senators Lisa Murkowski, Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), and James Talent (Mo.). Leaving the committee will be Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.), Richard Shelby (Ala.), and Frank Murkowski (Alas.)
Committee assignments in both chambers remain unofficial until lawmakers vote to approve the posts.