TheMercenary • Jan 16, 2009 1:58 pm
Panel chairmen fighting mad over snubs by Pelosi
By Jared Allen
Posted: 01/15/09 07:44 PM [ET]
Senior House Democrats have a message for their Speaker: We’re mad as hell, and we’re only taking it this one last time.
As congressional Democrats take the lead in responding to the sinking economy, subcommittee and even some full-committee chairmen — who normally wield significant influence in writing legislation — have been forced to wait on the sidelines as monumental bills are written in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office.
That often leaves room for cursory input from lawmakers who have carved out expert niches for themselves.
Many of these members are complaining louder and more often to Democratic leaders that a return to regular order, where bills are written in committee, is long overdue. And some warn that if the closed-door, truncated legislative process doesn’t end with the economic recovery bill, frustration could boil over, perhaps onto the floor.
“This is really set to come to a head soon,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Oversight subcommittee. “The question is: Are we actually going to get a chance to legislate? There’s an opportunity to turn this corner, but we have not done that yet.”
A number of Democrats have said caucus meetings are growing contentious as promises from their leaders to return to a regular process have again been postponed because of “emergency” legislation.
Last week, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) indicated that he “expected” a number of committee markups on the stimulus bill, including a possible markup in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
On Wednesday, though, Democratic leaders unveiled a plan to have the $825 billion bill marked up by only two committees: Ways and Means and Appropriations.
Many frustrated Democrats, while sensitive to the need to enact these bills quickly, feel like they’ve been frozen out of the process.
continues
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/panel-chairmen-fighting-mad-over-snubs-by-pelosi-2009-01-15.html
By Jared Allen
Posted: 01/15/09 07:44 PM [ET]
Senior House Democrats have a message for their Speaker: We’re mad as hell, and we’re only taking it this one last time.
As congressional Democrats take the lead in responding to the sinking economy, subcommittee and even some full-committee chairmen — who normally wield significant influence in writing legislation — have been forced to wait on the sidelines as monumental bills are written in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office.
That often leaves room for cursory input from lawmakers who have carved out expert niches for themselves.
Many of these members are complaining louder and more often to Democratic leaders that a return to regular order, where bills are written in committee, is long overdue. And some warn that if the closed-door, truncated legislative process doesn’t end with the economic recovery bill, frustration could boil over, perhaps onto the floor.
“This is really set to come to a head soon,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Oversight subcommittee. “The question is: Are we actually going to get a chance to legislate? There’s an opportunity to turn this corner, but we have not done that yet.”
A number of Democrats have said caucus meetings are growing contentious as promises from their leaders to return to a regular process have again been postponed because of “emergency” legislation.
Last week, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) indicated that he “expected” a number of committee markups on the stimulus bill, including a possible markup in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
On Wednesday, though, Democratic leaders unveiled a plan to have the $825 billion bill marked up by only two committees: Ways and Means and Appropriations.
Many frustrated Democrats, while sensitive to the need to enact these bills quickly, feel like they’ve been frozen out of the process.
continues
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/panel-chairmen-fighting-mad-over-snubs-by-pelosi-2009-01-15.html