House Democratic Steering Committee approves Waxman over Dingell.
By on Nov 19th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
House Democratic Steering Committee approves Waxman over Dingell.
The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee voted 25-22 earlier today to recommend House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) take over as chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee from Rep. John Dingell (D-MI). A final decision “will most likely be made by the full Democratic Caucus Thursday,” according to CongressDaily. As the Wonk Room’s Brad Johnson noted, Dingell was supported by the oil and coal industries. Backers of the pollution industry raised fears that Waxman would be “scary” for polluters.
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Bush
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Global Warming
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
McCain
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Technology
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
Good news!! Thanks!
November 19th, 2008 at 2:07 pmThere should be a term limit on committee chairmans. People like Dingell and Waxman are little war lords in the House. How many years have Dingell control the committee? Give someone under 60 a chance to bring in new ideas. We are tire on same old same old. Change! Change!
November 19th, 2008 at 2:15 pmGood! It’s time for the polluters to be scared for once — it’s clearly their turn after years of our legislators being cowed by them.
This is a great sign, that there are at least 25 Congressmen/women who aren’t going to automatically march to the tune of the oil and coal lobbies.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:22 pm“scary” for polluters
But that’s good for us, right?
November 19th, 2008 at 2:25 pmI guess changing the leadership of a committee is only an unprecedented political attack when the chairman is not a member of your party and actively campaigns for the opposition. If he’s a loyal Democrat then his seniority and tenure means nothing. Glad we got that all straightened out.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:26 pmYou mean Waxman doen’t have to hold his meetings in the basement anymore……irony…..
November 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pmGood – Henry Waxman is a pitbull – in the best possible way.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:45 pmGood, because Dingell is one of those Bush lapdogs that should be replaced in his next primary election.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:53 pmCan you say high mileage standards? Can you say plug-in hybrids? Good, good, good.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:57 pmWayne…are you kidding.?
Dingell may be close to fossil fuel industries (and the auto companies), but to call him a Bush lapdog??
Dingell’s introduced a piece of legislation calling for single-payer healthcare EVERY congress since he was first elected in 1955. He’s anti-war, pro-labour, pro-social welfare. And the embodiment of social democracy.
Granted, he’s 82 and the commitee could use some fresh blood, but learn the background before you smear.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:20 pmEnnuiDivine Says:
Wayne…are you kidding.?
He has voted with the Republicans on almost every abortion bill, against endangered animal act and for wild horse slaughter. His environmental record, frankly sucks.
Now he did vote against the Patriot Act and the Warner Military commissions act, I will give him that much. But he never saw a oil company giveaway he didn’t like.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:41 pmDingell has been a champion against abuses of the pharmaceutical industry since the 70’s, which I’ve much admired him for. However, he has also been in the pocket of the auto industry (gas and oil ties I’m not familiar with). Dingell is not a bad guy at all, and really doesn’t deserve to be attacked. But I’m glad it looks like Waxman may wind up chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and it’s a very positive change. I worked with him 30 years ago from California on child and family issues, and the guy is literally fearless. I have enormous admiration for him.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:55 pmHonestly, until we can fund all federal-level elections through public funding only, there will always be one industrial or interest group trying to buy our Senators and Congressmen. Campaign finance reform continues to be as big an issue and it has been for years, and continues to be unresolved. Until it is, corporations will continue to have untoward influence in our Congress.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:59 pmI’m mildly surprised they didn’t give that position to Lieberman as well.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:34 pmWanna really really scare the ever live mother fckin cotton pickin crap crap out of polluters??? put ralph nader as head of the EPA lmao I can see a run on the underware industry from ceo’s needin to change there haines cause there not gonna have it there way
November 19th, 2008 at 6:55 pm