Freshman Hillary Clinton
Friday, Jan. 12, 2001
WASHINGTON (UPI) – Freshman Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York will sit on the powerful Senate Budget Committee and fulfill duties on the Senate labor and environment panels as well, Democrats announced Thursday.
Democratic leader Thomas Daschle of South Dakota and the party's steering committee handed out committee assignments Thursday for the 107th Congress. Democrats and Republicans will share equal representation on all committees this year, in accordance with a new power-sharing agreement the two sides ratified last week.
That agreement stipulates that Democrats and Republicans share power equally on all Senate committees and limits Republicans' ability to muzzle Democrats on the Senate floor, where the GOP still technically maintains control.
Observers note that Clinton sits on the budget committee that draws broad budget guidelines but does not actually dole out dollars every year like the appropriations committee – and where some observers say the real power over money lies. But Clinton will get an opportunity to study under the tutelage of Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy's leadership on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Democrats doled out slots for all of the newcomers Thursday as well.
The unelected Sen. Jean Carnahan, sitting in for the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, will serve on the Commerce, Armed Services and Government Affairs committees. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, who defeated Energy Secretary-designate Spencer Abraham, has been assigned to the Agriculture, Banking and Budget committees. And former Delaware Gov. Thomas Carper will be on the Banking, Environment and Government Affairs committees as well as the Special Committee on Aging.
New Jersey millionaire John Corzine took slots on the Banking, Environment and Joint Economic committees, while Benjamin Nelson from Nebraska will sit on the Agriculture, Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees.
Finally, new Sen. Bob Nelson of Florida gets a key slot on the powerful Armed Services Committee as well as the Foreign Relations and Budget committees.
Nelson's assignments appear to be particularly attractive. But then again, Daschle just appointed Nelson as vice chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that is ultimately responsible for recruiting possible candidates and, more importantly, raising money for the elections in 2002. |
