Even before voters went to the polls Tuesday, the announced retirements of several senior senators and House members guaranteed changes in the chairman's and ranking member's slot on several major congressional committees.
In the Senate, the departure of Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, opens up the ranking slot on Governmental Affairs. Next in line is Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., whom aides say will make a decision soon on whether to keep his Armed Services ranking post or move to Governmental Affairs. It is generally expected that Levin will stay at Armed Services, which would make Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the new Governmental Affairs ranking member.
If Levin leaves Armed Services, he would be succeeded by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. The more likely scenario, however, has Bingaman succeeding retiring Sen. Dale Bumpers, D-Ark., as ranking member on the Energy and Natural Resources panel.
Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., who will be 96 next month, has announced his intention to give up his Armed Services chairmanship, and is expected to be succeeded by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., a onetime secretary of the Navy.
Warner, in turn, will give up the chairmanship of the Senate Rules Committee, which has jurisdiction over the campaign finance reform, and will be succeeded by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the leading Senate opponent of the so-called McCain-Feingold reform proposal. Sens. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., and Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, are senior to McConnell, but already chair the Foreign Relations and Appropriations panels, respectively.
In the House, the Rules Committee will see a change in chairmanship. Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., is retiring and will be succeeded by Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif. While both are considered solid conservatives, Dreier, who is two decades younger than Solomon, is regarded as less confrontational in style, and is closer to House Speaker Gingrich.
Below is a list of key committees, their members, and vacancies.
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Members Of House Committee On Appropriations In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Nine vacancies (3 R, 6 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (34) LIVINGSTON (R-LA) Chairman Vice-Chairman YOUNG, BILL (R-FL) REGULA (R-OH) LEWIS, JERRY (R-CA) PORTER (R-IL) ROGERS (R-KY) SKEEN (R-NM) WOLF (R-VA) DELAY (R-TX) KOLBE (R-AZ) PACKARD (R-CA) CALLAHAN (R-AL) WALSH (R-NY) TAYLOR, CHARLES (R-NC) HOBSON (R-OH) ISTOOK (R-OK) BONILLA (R-TX) KNOLLENBERG (R-MI) MILLER, DAN (R-FL) DICKEY (R-AR) KINGSTON (R-GA) FRELINGHUYSEN (R-NJ) WICKER (R-MS) FORBES (R-NY) NETHERCUTT (R-WA) CUNNINGHAM (R-CA) TIAHRT (R-KS) WAMP (R-TN) LATHAM (R-IA) NORTHUP (R-KY) ADERHOLT (R-AL) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(26) OBEY (D-WI) Ranking Minority Member MURTHA (D-PA) DICKS (D-WA) SABO (D-MN) DIXON (D-CA) HOYER (D-MD) MOLLOHAN (D-WV) KAPTUR (D-OH) PELOSI (D-CA) VISCLOSKY (D-IN) LOWEY (D-NY) SERRANO (D-NY) DELAURO (D-CT) MORAN, JIM (D-VA) OLVER (D-MA) PASTOR (D-AZ) MEEK, CARRIE (D-FL) PRICE, DAVID (D-NC) EDWARDS (D-TX) CRAMER (D-AL) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of House Committee On Government Reform and Oversight In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| One vacancy (1 R, 0 D) has been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (24) BURTON (R-IN) Chairman GILMAN (R-NY) HASTERT (R-IL) MORELLA (R-MD) SHAYS (R-CT) COX (R-CA) Vice-Chairman ROS-LEHTINEN (R-FL) MCHUGH (R-NY) HORN (R-CA) MICA (R-FL) DAVIS, THOMAS (R-VA) MCINTOSH (R-IN) SOUDER (R-IN) SCARBOROUGH (R-FL) SHADEGG (R-AZ) LATOURETTE (R-OH) SANFORD (R-SC) SUNUNU (R-NH) SESSIONS (R-TX) PAPPAS (R-NJ) BARR (R-GA) MILLER, DAN (R-FL) LEWIS, RONALD (R-KY) ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(19) WAXMAN (D-CA) Ranking Minority Member LANTOS (D-CA) WISE (D-WV) OWENS (D-NY) TOWNS (D-NY) KANJORSKI (D-PA) CONDIT (D-CA) MALONEY, CAROLYN (D-NY) BARRETT, THOMAS (D-WI) NORTON (D-DC) FATTAH (D-PA) CUMMINGS (D-MD) KUCINICH (D-OH) BLAGOJEVICH (D-IL) DAVIS, DANNY (D-IL) TIERNEY (D-MA) TURNER (D-TX) ALLEN (D-ME) FORD (D-TN) |
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Independents (1) SANDERS (I-VT) |
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Members Of House Committee On National Security In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Three vacancies (1 R, 2 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (32) SPENCE (R-SC) Chairman STUMP (R-AZ) HUNTER (R-CA) KASICH (R-OH) BATEMAN (R-VA) HANSEN (R-UT) WELDON, CURT (R-PA) HEFLEY (R-CO) SAXTON (R-NJ) BUYER (R-IN) FOWLER (R-FL) MCHUGH (R-NY) TALENT (R-MO) EVERETT (R-AL) BARTLETT (R-MD) MCKEON (R-CA) LEWIS, RONALD (R-KY) WATTS, J.C. (R-OK) THORNBERRY (R-TX) HOSTETTLER (R-IN) CHAMBLISS (R-GA) HILLEARY (R-TN) SCARBOROUGH (R-FL) JONES (R-NC) GRAHAM (R-SC) RYUN (R-KS) PAPPAS (R-NJ) RILEY (R-AL) GIBBONS (R-NV) GRANGER (R-TX) BONO, MARY (R-CA) ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(27) SKELTON (D-MO) Ranking Minority Member SISISKY (D-VA) SPRATT (D-SC) ORTIZ (D-TX) PICKETT (D-VA) EVANS (D-IL) TAYLOR, GENE (D-MS) ABERCROMBIE (D-HI) MEEHAN (D-MA) UNDERWOOD (D-GUAM) KENNEDY, PATRICK (D-RI) BLAGOJEVICH (D-IL) REYES (D-TX) ALLEN (D-ME) SNYDER (D-AR) TURNER (D-TX) BOYD (D-FL) SMITH, ADAM (D-WA) SANCHEZ (D-CA) MALONEY, JAMES (D-CT) MCINTYRE (D-NC) RODRIGUEZ (D-TX) MCKINNEY (D-GA) TAUSCHER (D-CA) BRADY, ROBERT (D-PA) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of House Committee On the Budget In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Six vacancies (5 R, 1 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (24) KASICH (R-OH) Chairman HOBSON (R-OH) SHAYS (R-CT) HERGER (R-CA) SMITH, LAMAR (R-TX) MILLER, DAN (R-FL) FRANKS, BOB (R-NJ) SMITH, NICK (R-MI) NUSSLE (R-IA) HOEKSTRA (R-MI) SHADEGG (R-AZ) RADANOVICH (R-CA) BASS (R-NH) EHRLICH (R-MD) GUTKNECHT (R-MN) HILLEARY (R-TN) GRANGER (R-TX) SUNUNU (R-NH) PITTS (R-PA) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(19) SPRATT (D-SC) Ranking Minority Member MCDERMOTT (D-WA) MOLLOHAN (D-WV) COSTELLO (D-IL) MINK (D-HI) POMEROY (D-ND) WOOLSEY (D-CA) ROYBAL-ALLARD (D-CA) RIVERS (D-MI) DOGGETT (D-TX) THOMPSON (D-MS) CARDIN (D-MD) MINGE (D-MN) BENTSEN (D-TX) DAVIS, JIM (D-FL) WEYGAND (D-RI) CLAYTON (D-NC) PRICE, DAVID (D-NC) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of House Committee On the Judiciary In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Two vacancies (1 R, 1 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (21) HYDE (R-IL) Chairman SENSENBRENNER (R-WI) MCCOLLUM (R-FL) GEKAS (R-PA) COBLE (R-NC) SMITH, LAMAR (R-TX) GALLEGLY (R-CA) CANADY (R-FL) GOODLATTE (R-VA) BUYER (R-IN) BRYANT (R-TN) CHABOT (R-OH) BARR (R-GA) JENKINS (R-TN) HUTCHINSON, ASA (R-AR) PEASE (R-IN) CANNON (R-UT) ROGAN (R-CA) GRAHAM (R-SC) BONO, MARY (R-CA) ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(16) CONYERS (D-MI) Ranking Minority Member FRANK, BARNEY (D-MA) BERMAN (D-CA) BOUCHER (D-VA) NADLER (D-NY) SCOTT (D-VA) WATT, MELVIN (D-NC) LOFGREN (D-CA) JACKSON-LEE (D-TX) WATERS (D-CA) MEEHAN (D-MA) DELAHUNT (D-MA) WEXLER (D-FL) ROTHMAN (D-NJ) BARRETT, THOMAS (D-WI) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of House Committee On Veterans' Affairs In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Three vacancies (2 R, 1 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (17) STUMP (R-AZ) Chairman SMITH, CHRISTOPHER (R-NJ) BILIRAKIS (R-FL) SPENCE (R-SC) EVERETT (R-AL) BUYER (R-IN) QUINN (R-NY) BACHUS (R-AL) STEARNS (R-FL) MORAN, JERRY (R-KS) COOKSEY (R-LA) HUTCHINSON, ASA (R-AR) HAYWORTH (R-AZ) CHENOWETH (R-ID) LAHOOD (R-IL) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(13) EVANS (D-IL) Ranking Minority Member FILNER (D-CA) GUTIERREZ (D-IL) CLYBURN (D-SC) BROWN, CORRINE (D-FL) DOYLE (D-PA) MASCARA (D-PA) PETERSON, COLLIN (D-MN) CARSON (D-IN) REYES (D-TX) SNYDER (D-AR) RODRIGUEZ (D-TX) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of House Committee On Ways and Means In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Four vacancies (3 R, 1 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (23) ARCHER (R-TX) Chairman CRANE (R-IL) THOMAS (R-CA) SHAW (R-FL) JOHNSON, NANCY (R-CT) HOUGHTON (R-NY) HERGER (R-CA) MCCRERY (R-LA) CAMP (R-MI) RAMSTAD (R-MN) NUSSLE (R-IA) JOHNSON, SAM (R-TX) DUNN (R-WA) COLLINS (R-GA) PORTMAN (R-OH) ENGLISH (R-PA) WATKINS (R-OK) HAYWORTH (R-AZ) WELLER (R-IL) HULSHOF (R-MO) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(16) RANGEL (D-NY) Ranking Minority Member STARK (D-CA) MATSUI (D-CA) COYNE (D-PA) LEVIN, SANDER (D-MI) CARDIN (D-MD) MCDERMOTT (D-WA) KLECZKA (D-WI) LEWIS, JOHN (D-GA) NEAL (D-MA) MCNULTY (D-NY) JEFFERSON (D-LA) TANNER (D-TN) BECERRA (D-CA) THURMAN (D-FL) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of Senate Committee On Appropriations In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Two vacancies (1 R, 1 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (15) STEVENS (R-AK) Chairman COCHRAN (R-MS) SPECTER (R-PA) DOMENICI (R-NM) BOND (R-MO) GORTON (R-WA) MCCONNELL (R-KY) BURNS (R-MT) SHELBY (R-AL) GREGG (R-NH) BENNETT (R-UT) CAMPBELL (R-CO) CRAIG (R-ID) HUTCHISON (R-TX) ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(13) BYRD (D-WV) Ranking Minority Member INOUYE (D-HI) HOLLINGS (D-SC) LEAHY (D-VT) LAUTENBERG (D-NJ) HARKIN (D-IA) MIKULSKI (D-MD) REID, HARRY (D-NV) KOHL (D-WI) MURRAY (D-WA) DORGAN (D-ND) BOXER (D-CA) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of Senate Committee On Armed Services In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| Three vacancies (2 R, 1 D) have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (10) THURMOND (R-SC) Chairman WARNER (R-VA) MCCAIN (R-AZ) SMITH, ROBERT C. (R-NH) INHOFE (R-OK) SANTORUM (R-PA) SNOWE (R-ME) ROBERTS (R-KS) ***VACANCY*** ***VACANCY*** |
Democrats(8) LEVIN, CARL (D-MI) Ranking Minority Member KENNEDY, EDWARD (D-MA) BINGAMAN (D-NM) BYRD (D-WV) ROBB (D-VA) LIEBERMAN (D-CT) CLELAND (D-GA) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of Senate Committee On the Budget In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| No vacancies have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (12) DOMENICI (R-NM) Chairman GRASSLEY (R-IA) NICKLES (R-OK) GRAMM, PHIL (R-TX) BOND (R-MO) GORTON (R-WA) GREGG (R-NH) SNOWE (R-ME) ABRAHAM (R-MI) FRIST (R-TN) GRAMS (R-MN) SMITH, GORDON (R-OR) |
Democrats(10) LAUTENBERG (D-NJ) Ranking Minority Member HOLLINGS (D-SC) CONRAD (D-ND) FEINGOLD (D-WI) SARBANES (D-MD) BOXER (D-CA) MURRAY (D-WA) WYDEN (D-OR) DURBIN (D-IL) JOHNSON (D-SD) |
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Members Of Senate Committee On Governmental Affairs In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| One vacancy (0 R, 1 D) has been created on this committee. Ranking Democrat John Glenn is retiring. | |
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Republicans (9) THOMPSON (R-TN) Chairman ROTH (R-DE) STEVENS (R-AK) COLLINS (R-ME) BROWNBACK (R-KS) DOMENICI (R-NM) COCHRAN (R-MS) NICKLES (R-OK) SPECTER (R-PA) |
Democrats(7) LEVIN, CARL (D-MI) LIEBERMAN (D-CT) AKAKA (D-HI) DURBIN (D-IL) TORRICELLI (D-NJ) CLELAND (D-GA) ***VACANCY*** |
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Members Of Senate Committee On Veterans' Affairs In Order By Seniority Within Party |
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| No vacancies have been created on this committee. | |
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Republicans (7) SPECTER (R-PA) Chairman THURMOND (R-SC) MURKOWSKI (R-AK) JEFFORDS (R-VT) CAMPBELL (R-CO) CRAIG (R-ID) HUTCHINSON, TIM (R-AR) |
Democrats(5) ROCKEFELLER (D-WV) Ranking Minority Member GRAHAM, BOB (D-FL) AKAKA (D-HI) WELLSTONE (D-MN) MURRAY (D-WA) |
SOURCES: CongressDaily, Legi-Slate, National Journal's Cloakroom staff research.