ScreamingEagle
Gold Member
- Jul 5, 2004
- 13,399
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The House takeover by Republicans means new leadership, new committee chairmanships, and coming investigations....wheee!
Of course John Boener (R-OH) replaces Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as Speaker...
...DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD....THE WICKED WITCH IS DEEEAAAD...
Profiles of the possible new House committee chairmen and their agendas:
AGRICULTURE
Frank Lucas of Oklahoma was born and raised on the farm that has been in his family since early in the 20th Century. He fought President Barack Obama's plan to repeal some farm subsidies and limit direct payments to those with high incomes. He wrote Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that it "seems clear that during an economic crisis, this administration is intent on helping everyone but those who live and work in rural America."
APPROPRIATIONS
Reps. Jerry Lewis of California and Hal Rogers of Kentucky both see themselves as chairman. Each has championed pet projects decried by tea partiers and many conservatives as wasteful spending but both say they would extend the House GOP caucus's temporary moratorium against them.
The committee, one of the most powerful in Congress, prioritizes spending across the government. Rogers has vowed to cut discretionary spending to levels that existed prior to the financial bailout and stimulus program -- perhaps even further. Lewis became the committee's chairman in 2005 but his tenure was short-lived.
ARMED SERVICES
Howard "Buck" McKeon's major work has been on the Education and Labor Committee, but he has been active on military issues. The California lawmaker sought to make sure that Gen. David Petraeus had enough troops for his counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. He wants an accurate measurement of the security and political situations in that country. He also seeks to make sure that U.S. and Iraqi forces sustain their security gains. He believes the U.S. should develop and fortify long-term security and economic relationships with Iraq.
BUDGET
Paul Ryan's most controversial proposal is to give workers under 55 the option of investing a third of their Social Security taxes in personal retirement accounts. They would be managed by the Social Security Administration, and the government would guarantee that nobody loses money. The Wisconsin lawmaker wants to place firm limits on discretionary and mandatory spending, and enforce the limits with automatic spending reductions in programs with the highest spending growth.
EDUCATION AND LABOR
John Kline's ascension will be a major blow to unions after the liberal, pro-labor chairmanship of George Miller. Kline, of Minnesota, is strongly opposed to so-called card check legislation -- a top labor priority that would require companies to recognize a union once a workplace majority signs union cards. Kline wants to scale back the role of the federal government in education, loosen federal mandates and red tape. He supports teacher performance pay and charter schools.
ENERGY AND COMMERCE
Texan Joe Barton's chances are seriously hurt by his apology to BP during a hearing on the Gulf oil spill. His main rival, Fred Upton of Michigan, would be far less controversial. No matter who gets this chairmanship, the committee will be far different from the panel run by the Democrats' most ferocious investigator, Henry Waxman of California. Upton pledges to stop what he calls job-killing regulations and remove regulatory authority from nonelected bureaucrats. Barton says his "Job No. 1 is to repeal the Obama health care law and start over."
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Spencer Bachus of Alabama would take over for the fiery, fast-talking, Democratic chairman Barney Frank. The incoming chairman wants to end the taxpayer bailouts of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Bachus says he wants to conduct investigations that committee Democrats wouldn't do, including into aspects of insurer AIG's bailout that benefited foreign creditors over those in the U.S.
continued...
House committees to get new GOP chairmen - BusinessWeek
Of course John Boener (R-OH) replaces Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as Speaker...
...DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD....THE WICKED WITCH IS DEEEAAAD...
Profiles of the possible new House committee chairmen and their agendas:
AGRICULTURE
Frank Lucas of Oklahoma was born and raised on the farm that has been in his family since early in the 20th Century. He fought President Barack Obama's plan to repeal some farm subsidies and limit direct payments to those with high incomes. He wrote Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that it "seems clear that during an economic crisis, this administration is intent on helping everyone but those who live and work in rural America."
APPROPRIATIONS
Reps. Jerry Lewis of California and Hal Rogers of Kentucky both see themselves as chairman. Each has championed pet projects decried by tea partiers and many conservatives as wasteful spending but both say they would extend the House GOP caucus's temporary moratorium against them.
The committee, one of the most powerful in Congress, prioritizes spending across the government. Rogers has vowed to cut discretionary spending to levels that existed prior to the financial bailout and stimulus program -- perhaps even further. Lewis became the committee's chairman in 2005 but his tenure was short-lived.
ARMED SERVICES
Howard "Buck" McKeon's major work has been on the Education and Labor Committee, but he has been active on military issues. The California lawmaker sought to make sure that Gen. David Petraeus had enough troops for his counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. He wants an accurate measurement of the security and political situations in that country. He also seeks to make sure that U.S. and Iraqi forces sustain their security gains. He believes the U.S. should develop and fortify long-term security and economic relationships with Iraq.
BUDGET
Paul Ryan's most controversial proposal is to give workers under 55 the option of investing a third of their Social Security taxes in personal retirement accounts. They would be managed by the Social Security Administration, and the government would guarantee that nobody loses money. The Wisconsin lawmaker wants to place firm limits on discretionary and mandatory spending, and enforce the limits with automatic spending reductions in programs with the highest spending growth.
EDUCATION AND LABOR
John Kline's ascension will be a major blow to unions after the liberal, pro-labor chairmanship of George Miller. Kline, of Minnesota, is strongly opposed to so-called card check legislation -- a top labor priority that would require companies to recognize a union once a workplace majority signs union cards. Kline wants to scale back the role of the federal government in education, loosen federal mandates and red tape. He supports teacher performance pay and charter schools.
ENERGY AND COMMERCE
Texan Joe Barton's chances are seriously hurt by his apology to BP during a hearing on the Gulf oil spill. His main rival, Fred Upton of Michigan, would be far less controversial. No matter who gets this chairmanship, the committee will be far different from the panel run by the Democrats' most ferocious investigator, Henry Waxman of California. Upton pledges to stop what he calls job-killing regulations and remove regulatory authority from nonelected bureaucrats. Barton says his "Job No. 1 is to repeal the Obama health care law and start over."
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Spencer Bachus of Alabama would take over for the fiery, fast-talking, Democratic chairman Barney Frank. The incoming chairman wants to end the taxpayer bailouts of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Bachus says he wants to conduct investigations that committee Democrats wouldn't do, including into aspects of insurer AIG's bailout that benefited foreign creditors over those in the U.S.
continued...
House committees to get new GOP chairmen - BusinessWeek
