Few Changes for Consumers in 103rd Congress Although there will be at least 121 NY), all of whom retired, and Rep. Weiss, the possibility of a positive legislative and the anti-consumer attacks of the last two new faces, including unprecedented who died. regulatory agenda on issues that affect con- administrations." numbers of women and minorities, the sumers' pocketbooks and their health and "We will know more what to expect once 103rd Congress is expected to vote much House and Senate Banking safety," he added. "While it is almost certain we see what kind of appointments Clinton like the 102nd when it comes to consumer Committees Change to be a moderate agenda, and the deficit makes, but, all in all, this should offer a issues. will limit our opportunities, we should new opportunity for pro-consumer reform," Most of the changes in membership re- Dramatically nonetheless see a major improvement over Kimmelman said. sulted from the record number of mem- One area where the election is expected bers who retired this year. But redistrict- to have a dramatic effect is in the make-up ing, the House Bank scandal, and a strong of the House and Senate Banking Commit- Successful CFA-Endorsed Candidates grassroots sentiment against politics as usual tees, which both saw a large number of also contributed, causing more incumbents members retire or lose their fight for SENATE MA: Rep. John Olver (D-01) to lose than have in recent elections. Among reelection. Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-02) CA: Rep. Barbara Boxer (D) them were eight House incumbents en- Five left the committee in the Senate, Rep. Barney Frank (D-04) dorsed by CFA. three through retirement and two through FL: Sen. Bob Graham (D) Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-07) But the slight loss of ground for con- defeat. In the House, 13 Banking Commit- IL: Carol Moseley-Braun (D) Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-08) sumers in the House was not expected tee members either retired or were de- Rep. Joe Moakley (D-09) MD: Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) to cause a significant change in votes on feated. And still more changes could come Rep. Gerry E. Studds (D-10) consumer issues. And consumers held their if returning members request reassignment. ND: Rep. Byron Dorgan (D) MI: Bart Stupak (D-01) own in the Senate, where the two incum- The good news for consumers is that Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D-09) bents endorsed by CFA won, as did two most of those who are leaving have generally Rep. David E. Bonior (D-10) CFA-endorsed House members running for sided with industry in opposition to pro- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. Sander M. Levin (D-12) open Senate seats and one non-incumbent consumer initiatives, particularly in the AL: Earl Hilliard (D-07) Rep. William D. Ford (D-13) open-seat candidate. House. Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-14) AZ: Rep. Ed Pastor (D-02) In addition, among the CFA-endorsed can- Also, Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA), who has re- Rep. Barbara-Rose Collins (D-15) didates who lost their Senate races was ceived special recognition from CFA for CA: Rep. Robert T. Matsui (D-05) MN: Rep. Bruce F. Vento (D-04) Rep. Jim Moody (D-WI), who was defeated his pro-consumer record on banking issues, Rep. George Miller (D-07) Rep. Martin Olav Sabo (D-05) in the primary by Russell D. Feingold. Fein- is next in line to take over as ranking Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-08) Rep. Coilin C. Peterson (D-07) gold went on to defeat Republican Bob minority member. Rep. Ronald V. Dellums (D-09) Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-08) Kasten in the general election. Although Furthermore, in the Senate, Alphonse Rep. Tom Lantos (D-12) MO: Rep. Alan Wheat (D-05) he was not endorsed by CFA, Feingold is DAmato (R-NY) is expected to replace Gam Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-13) expected to be far more supportive on con- as ranking minority member. Though no Anna Eshoo (D-14) NJ: Rep. Frank Pallone (D-06) sumer issues than Kasten, who was the consumer champion, Sen. DAmato has been Rep. Don Edwards (D-16) Rep. Robert G. Torricelli (D-09) Senate's leading proponent of anti-consumer more supportive on consumer issues than Rep. Leon E. Panetta (D-17) Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-10) tort reform measures. Gam, and he is not the strong proponent Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-24) NM: Rep. Bill Richardson (D-03) of financial restructuring proposals that Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-26) NY: Rep. George J. Hochbrueckner (D-01) Most CFA House Gam was. Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-29) Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-05) Endorsees Win Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-31) Rep. Charles E. Schumer (D-09) Clinton Win Should Benefit Rep. Esteban Edward Torres (D-34) Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-10) nf th» i7n ^nriitifites endorsed by CFA Consumers Rep. Maxine Waters (D-35) Rep. Major R. Owens (D-ll) in the House, 96 won and 22 lost. In addi- Mayor Walter Tucker (D-37) Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-15) tion, Rep. Matthew J. Rinaldo (H-NJ) retired,— Perhaps the biggest gain for consumers Robert Filner (D-50) Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-16) and Rep. Ted Weiss (D-NY) died. in the 1992 election was Bill Clinton's vic- CO: Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-01) Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-17) Of the 96 successful candidates, 84 were tory in the presidential race. Although Clin- Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-18) incumbents, and 12 were candidates for ton has been associated with the more CTTt Rep. Barbara B. Kennelly (D-01) Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-21) open seats. As in the Senate, none of the conservative, pro-business wing of the Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-02) Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-28) 11 challengers to anti-consumer candidates Democratic Party, he is nonetheless expected FL: Peter Deutsch (D-20) Rep. John J. LaFalce (D-29) managed to unseat their opponents. to be far more sympathetic to consumer Carrie Meek (D-17) OH: Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-09) The eight CFA-endorsed candidates among concerns than either George Bush or Ronald Karen Thurman (D-05) Rep. Louis Stokes (D-ll) the 43 House incumbents to lose their seats Reagan. GA: Sherrod Brown (D-13) were: Rep. John W. Cox (D-IL); Rep. James CFA Legislative Director Gene Kimmelman Rep. John Lewis (D-05) Rep. Thomas C. Sawyer (D-14) Jontz (D-IN); Rep. Chester G. Atkins (D- outlined four positive changes that he ex- Cynthia McKinney (D-ll) Rep. James A. Traficant (D-17) MA), who lost in the primary; Rep. Gerry pects will fundamentally alter the legisla- HI: Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-01) Sikorski (D-MN); Rep. Thomas J. Downey tive and regulatory environment for pro- Rep. Patsy T Mink (D-02) OK: Rep. Mike Synar (D-02) (D-NY); Rep. Stephen J. Solarz (D-NY), who consumer initiatives in a Clinton IL: Rep. Sidney R. Yates (D-09) OR: Rep. Ron Wyden (D-03) lost in the primary; Rep. Mary Rose Oakar administration. Rep. George E. Sangmeister (D-ll) Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-04) (D-OH), and Rep. Peter H. Kostmayer (D-PA). • The threat of a veto of reasonable con- Rep. Jerry Costello (D-12) PA: Rep. Thomas M. Foglietta (D-01) The defeat of Reps. Jontz and Sikorski sumer legislation has disappeared for the Rep. Lane Evans (D-17) Rep. Robert A. Borski (D-03) was a particular blow to consumers, as first time in 12 years. Rep. Glenn Poshard (D-19) Rep. William J. Coyne (D-14) both had been leaders on issues of concern • There is the possibility of administra- Rep. Richard J. Durbin (D-20) TX: Gene Green (D-29) to consumers, and both had compiled pro- tion muscle behind measures consumer VK Bernard Sanders (I-AL) consumer voting records that earned them advocates support. IN: Rep. Peter J. Visclosky (D-01) CFAs designation as Lifetime Consumer • There are unlikely to be administration Rep. Frank McCloskey (D-08) VA: Leslie Byrne (D-ll) Heroes. initiatives that are blatantly anti-consumer. ME: Rep. Thomas H. Andrews (D-01) WA: Rep. Jolene Unsoeld (D-03) Other Lifetime Consumer Heroes who • And, despite the limitations imposed MD: Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-03) Rep. Jim McDermott (D-07) will be missing from the 103rd Congress by the deficit, there is likely to be a new Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-05) WV: Rep. Robert E. Wise (D-02) are Sen. Brock Adams (D-WA), Sen. Timothy energy at the regulatory agencies. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-07) WI: Rep. Gerald D. Kleczka (D-04) Wirth (D-CO), and Rep. James Scheuer (D- "For the first time in 12 years we have Rep. Constance A. Morella (R-08) Rep. David R. Obey (D-07) CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA Page 2 November 1992 • CFAnews 1992 Legislative Wrap-up of the bill's consumer protections were RTC Funding 'telecommunications D. Dingell (D-MI) succeeded in stopping the measure from coming to the floor. removed during Banking Committee con- The bailout of insolvent savings and loan sideration, however, making it considerably Cable Reregulation A staff draft of a bill with broad regula- associations ground to a virtual halt in 1992 tory protections for consumers, put together weaker than laws in several states. As a when Congress failed to pass additional In October, Congress overrode the presi- by Telecommunications and Finance Sub- result, consumer advocates opposed its funds for the Resolution Trust Corpora- dent's veto — the only successful override committee Chairman Edward J.