Changes on Capitol Hill

While incumbent Members of Congress generally did well in Tuesday’s election, there will be some changes, mainly due to retirements, in those committees with jurisdiction over the science issues FYI covers. Committee assignments may change in the new Congress.

ADDITIONS:

RUSH HOLT: The 106th Congress will have another physicist when it convenes next January. Rush Holt, former Assistant Director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (8/1989 - 10/1997) defeated an incumbent, Mike Pappas (R-NJ). Holt also served as the Acting Chief of the State Department’s Nuclear and Scientific Division, Office of Strategic Forces Analysis (12/1987-8/1989.) He received a Ph.D. in physics from New York University. His web site notes, “He has had a career applying science to the public good.”

RETIREMENTS:

House Energy and Water Development Appropriations SubcommitteeChairman JOSEPH McDADE (R-PA) held his position for only two years, and is retiring. While he did not exhibit great interest in DOE’s science programs during hearings, his appropriations bills were generally favorable. The subcommittee’s Ranking Minority Member VIC FAZIO (D-CA) is also retiring, so there will be a complete change in leadership on this subcommittee. MIKE PARKER (R-MS) is retiring. There are no changes on the Senate Energy and Water Development subcommittee.

House VA, HUD, Independent Agencies Appropriations SubcommitteeRanking Minority Member LOUIS STOKES (D-OH) is retiring. Stokes once served as the chairman of this subcommittee, and was keenly interested in NSF and NASA, and their minority inclusion programs. MARK NEUMANN (R-WI) left the House to run unsuccessfully for the Wisconsin Senate seat. There are no changes on the Senate VA, HUD subcommittee.

House Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee member DAVID SKAGGS (D-CO) is retiring. On the Senate Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee, DALE BUMPERS (D-AR) is retiring. Bumpers was a constant foe of the space station, and vigorously opposed the SSC.

On the House National Security Appropriations Subcommittee, JOSEPH McDADE, as noted above, is retiring. W.G. “BILL” HEFNER (D-NC) is also retiring. DALE BUMPERS served on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

Two members of the House Science Committeeare retiring: HARRIS FAWELL (R-IL) and PAUL McHALE (D-PA). Ranking Minority Member George Brown (D-CA), who has been in some tight elections, won reelection with 55% of the vote.

The House National Security Subcommittee on Military R&D had the following changes due to defeats: MICHAEL PAPPAS (defeated by Rush Holt) and BILL REDMOND (R-NM); and retirements: JANE HARMAN (D-CA) and PAUL McHALE.