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The New Congress

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The New Congress Vol.1, No. 11, November 2002 THE NEW CONGRESS aligned along these lines was the year the first credit card was issued to the On November 5, President IN THIS ISSUE public and the Yankees beat the Bush, who is a strong supporter of Dodgers in the World Series – the regime change in Iraq, helped Brooklyn Dodgers. engineer a regime change in the The new Majority Leader in the THE NEW CONGRESS 1 United States Senate. Republicans Senate will be Trent Lott (R-MS), will hold at least 51 seats in the th while Tom Daschle (D-SD) will NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES 2 Senate when the 108 Congress assume the role of Minority Leader. convenes in January of 2003, thereby In the House, Speaker Hastert (D- taking control of that body from the IL) will keep his post with Rep. Tom Democrats. The final Senate tally Delay (R-TX) as the likely Majority will not be known until next month Leader. Richard Gephardt (D-MO) because Senator Mary Landrieu has announced he will not seek to (D-LA) will have to compete in a retain his position as Minority run-off election on December 7 and a Leader. Representatives Nancy possible recount in the South Dakota Pelosi (D-CA) and Harold Ford, Jr. election may not be completed until (D-TN), will most likely compete to early December. Republicans also be the new Minority Leader. added to their existing majority in the The most important immediate Capitol View is published by the House with at least 227 seats. This is Legislative Group of Venable, Baetjer, impact on this change in the Senate Howard & Civiletti. a sharp reversal of the historical will be a switch from Democratic norm in which the sitting President’s Committee Chairman to Republican It is not intended to provide legal advice party loses seats in these mid-term or opinion. Such advice may only be Committee Chairman. While there given when related to specific fact elections. In fact, the last six situations. can be no certainty until the new Presidents have lost an average of 2 Chairmen are actually named, and Editor: Senate seats and 27 House seats in Kevin Faley some members who are in line to the first term mid-term election. It chair several committees must Associate Editor: will be the first time in 50 years that Lisa Baranello choose among them, the Republicans control both Houses of Chairmanship of the Senate Congress and the White House. The Committees will likely be along the last time the federal government was following lines: Agriculture - Thad Cochran, R-MS Of course, having majorities in both Appropriations - Ted Stevens, R-AK Houses of Congress does not mean Armed Services - John Warner, R-VA that the Republican legislative Banking - Richard Shelby, R-AL agenda will be enacted into law. Senate Democrats still have the Budget - Don Nickles, R-OK filibuster option and can force the Commerce - John McCain, R-AZ Leadership to produce 60 votes to Energy - Pete Domenici, R-NM pass legislation they oppose. Environment - James Inhofe, R-OK Finance - Charles Grassley, R-IA Kevin Faley is Editor of Capitol View Foreign Relations - Dick Lugar, R-IN and a Partner in Venable’s Legislative Group. Mr. Faley can be Gov’t Affairs - Susan Collins, R-ME reached at 202.513.4706 or at Health, Education & Labor - Judd [email protected] Gregg, R-NH Indian Affairs - Ben Nighthorse VENERABLE ASSEMBLY Campbell, R-CO To meet the members of our outstanding legislative team, visit Judiciary - Orrin Hatch, R-UT Venable’s web site at: Rules - Mitch McConnell, R-KY http://www.venable.com/about/ Small Business - Kit Bond, R-MO leg.html Veterans Aff’s - Arlen Specter, R-PA VENABLE NEWSLETTER The change in Committee control ARCHIVES will mean more of the President’s To catch up on developments in judicial nominees will receive the legal world, visit our newsletter consideration by the full Senate. archives at: Other likely items on the new http://www.venable.com/newsletters/ Republican controlled agenda for the currentnl.htm next Congress would include making last year’s tax cut permanent, prescription drug coverage, welfare reform, patients’ bill of rights, pension reform and tort reform. Also, unless resolved in this year’s lame duck session, the new Congress will have to deal with issues concerning energy policy, homeland security and terrorism insurance. 2.
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