Perhaps now we'll have some real action.
Tim

HOUSE: Waxman ousts Dingell, grabs Energy and Commerce gavel
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/2008/11/20/1/
Greenwire staff report
(11/20/2008)

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is the new chairman of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee after ousting longtime Chairman John Dingell
(D-Mich.), 137-122, in a secret ballot vote of the entire House
Democratic Caucus today.
With Waxman's victory, many expect the Beverly Hills Democrat to
bring a liberal voice to the podium and work with President-elect
Barack Obama on energy policy, environmental protection and health
care.

"We are at a unique moment in history," Waxman told reporters. "We
have an opportunity that maybe comes along only once in a generation,
and I think the Democratic caucus agreed with me that we must meet
that challenge and move forward on those important policies."

In a statement, Dingell said he would work closely with Waxman and
provide for a smooth transition. "Well, this was clearly a change
year and I congratulate my colleague Henry Waxman on his success
today," Dingell said.

"What will not change, however, and what will never change, is my
commitment to the working men and women of the 15th Congressional
District of Michigan who have honored me with the opportunity to
represent them here in Washington," he added. "That commitment -- to
protecting and creating jobs, to providing health care for all
Americans, to working to getting our state and nation's economy back
on track -- is a fight I will continue to wage in Washington."

Incoming House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).
Photo courtesy of his office.

Democrats who supported Waxman seized on the "change" theme. "I am
very pleased he won, because I think he will bring the kind of change
we need and will work best with the new administration," said Rep.
Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). "Global warming is a very important issue,
and we will do well under his leadership."

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) said Waxman will move forward on global
warming and in other key areas. "Henry is a powerhouse that has
proved himself time and again on these and so many other substantive
issues," Berkley said. "This caucus and this Congress is going to
move forward in a very dramatic way."

Waxman's agenda

During the two-week campaign for the gavel, Waxman did not provide
many details of his proposed agenda, but his record suggests he will
pursue aggressive pollution cleanup for all industrial sectors, as
well as some of the most aggressive limits for U.S. business as it
embarks on a first-ever mandatory program to curb heat-trapping
emissions.

Some of Waxman's biggest legislative accomplishments on the
environment stretch back to before Republicans won control of
Congress in 1994. He fought Dingell and the Reagan administration in
the 1980s over efforts to weaken automobile emission standards. And
during the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments debate, Waxman clashed with
Dingell while serving as chairman of the Health and Environment
Subcommittee.

Since 2006, Waxman has made headlines as chairman of the House
Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has given him a
perch to investigate the Bush administration's policies on everything
from Iraq and climate change to the use of steroids in Major League
Baseball.

Waxman's first order of business may be to address the hurt feelings
within the divided caucus. He now faces at least a dozen Blue Dog and
industrial-state Democrats who won't be excited about voting for his
climate bill.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), whose status as chairman of the Energy and
Air Quality Subcommittee is now in doubt, said he was irked by
Waxman's run for the gavel. "This whole challenge bothered me, but I
won't be specific about anything," he told reporters.

"I think it was highly inappropriate; there was no obvious reason for
it other than the desire for another person to chair the committee,"
Boucher said. "There was no real substantive reason."

Waxman is lead author of the "Safe Climate Act," H.R. 1590, a bill
with 155 cosponsors that seeks to curb U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
to 1990 levels by 2020. The 69-year-old lawmaker also took the lead
this fall on a "Dear Colleague" letter signed by 150 other House
Democrats that calls for stringent environmental regulations to deal
with global warming.
Environmentalists pushing for faster action on climate change
legislation were pleased with the vote.

"Chairman Waxman has been a leader on global warming for many years,
and we look forward to working closely with him in this new role,"
said Karen Wayland, legislative director of the Natural Resources
Defense Council, in a statement. "Our nation faces many challenges,
including the climate crisis, and Congressman Waxman understands that
we can't delay in taking on these issues."

The vote also puts California Democrats at the center of the Capitol
Hill climate policy debate, as Waxman joins House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman
Barbara Boxer.

At a press conference, Boxer said the vote signaled a "sea change" on
climate change policy.

"I have to say, Congressman Waxman and I are very strong allies, and
we worked before he took the chairmanship, and we will continue that
relationship," Boxer said. "Congressman Waxman will be a great
chairman."

But Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said the White House will likely
call the shots. "The administration is still going to be the major
driver," he said. "People really care about this -- there is a
national consensus, and Henry is better able to guide it."

Aides to Obama and Pelosi stressed that they had not played favorites
or encouraged the move, but numerous pieces of tangential evidence
suggested they would prefer Waxman over Dingell. Obama last weekend
named longtime Waxman staffer Phil Schiliro as his top liaison to
Congress. And Pelosi has fought countless times with Dingell over
environmental issues, at one point backing his opponent in a
Democratic primary.

Pelosi did not speak at today's meeting until after the vote, and
then spoke only to congratulate the winner. "I think this vote shows
this wasn't Nancy Pelosi," Blumenauer said.

End of an era

For Dingell, 82, the vote marks the end of his 28 years as the top
Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, although he will have
the title of chairman emeritus.

It also is a major shift for House Democrats, who traditionally rely
on seniority to choose committee leaders.

"Seniority is important, but it should not be a grant of property
rights to be chairman for three decades or more," Waxman said after
the vote, adding, "This in no way diminishes the enormous
contribution to our country by Chairman John Dingell."

Among those who voted for Waxman, it is clear that Dingell's long
tenure was a hindrance rather than a benefit.

"The Commerce Committee, which should be the point for everything --
the last Congress had to work around it," Blumenauer said, noting
leaders had to create a separate whip team for debates on fuel
economy standards for automobiles and the renewable portfolio
standard.

"These aren't fiefdoms where it's a black hole and people know what
has happened -- these actions have consequences," Blumenauer said.
"This was not about respect or affection, this was about the most
critical issues of the day, starting with climate change.

"I don't think it's exactly an insurgency if you've been here since
1974," he added.

At yesterday's Steering and Policy Committee meeting, House Majority
Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) addressed the seniority question on
Dingell's behalf. While speaking highly of Waxman, Hoyer expressed
concerns about the precedent of removing a sitting chairman who was a
loyal Democrat and an able performer, a Democratic aide said. The
Steering Committee endorsed Waxman by a 25-22 vote.

Dingell's supporters also stressed his long list of accomplishments
in Congress, as well as a renewed commitment to take on a broad array
of Obama's priorities, including global warming.

His public list of supporters included more than a dozen Blue Dog
Democrats, as well as members of the Congressional Black Caucus and
the New Democrat Coalition and Democratic committee leaders.

Members who spoke on Dingell's behalf at the Democratic caucus
meeting included Reps. John Lewis of Georgia, Diana DeGette of
Colorado, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota and Mike Doyle of
Pennsylvania, according to Boucher. Waxman spoke on his own behalf
for about five minutes.

Reporters Dan Berman, Katherine Boyle, Ben Geman, Alex Kaplun and
Darren Samuelsohn contributed.
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