ELECTION SPECIAL:
Impact of the Election on the House Committee on Science — Early Analysis

How did the election results affect the House Science Committee? Based on early reports, not much change may be in store. It needs to be noted that many elections were close and results could change with recounts, absentee ballots or other challenges. Also, one race involving a Science Committee member, Steve Stockman (R TX), will go to a runoff. So these comments are strictly preliminary.

As was generally true, the election was kind to incumbents. Based on preliminary results, only four incumbent members lost their seats. Two of them -- Andrea Seastrand (R CA) and Mike Ward (D KY) -- were first-term members. Bill Baker (R CA) was in his second term, and Harold Volkmer (D MO) had served for 20 years. Together with the retirement of Committee Chair Bob Walker (R PA), only five out of 50 members will be departing the Committee. Of course, in reshuffling, more members could leave it to move to other committees.

James Sensenbrenner (R WI) will be first in line to chair the committee. He is a fiscal conservative who has represented a district in the suburbs of Milwaukee for 18 years. He is expected to assume the post.

Steve Schiff (R NM), who chairs the Basic Research Subcommittee, is expected to continue. He represents the Albuquerque area, and many of his constituents are deeply interested in the welfare of the National Laboratory complex at Los Alamos.

Connie Morella (R MD), who chairs the Technology Subcommittee, won, and can be expected retain that position. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is in her district.

Dana Rohrabacher (R CA) chairs the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, and may continue on as chair and to use the subcommittee as a forum with which to criticize Environmental Protection Agency research, particularly on climate change.

When Sensenbrenner takes over as full committee chair, Dave Weldon (R FL) will be next in line to chair the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. Since he represents Florida's "Space Coast," which includes Cape Canaveral, it might seem to be an opportunity much too good for Weldon to pass up. But, his intentions haven't yet been made known.

As of this time, Ranking Minority Member George Brown (D CA) is still leading in a very close race. Cliff-hangers have been the norm for Brown who represents a dominantly agricultural area in southern California. Brown has been for many years an influential voice in science policy in the Congress.

Despite the relative stability of the election results, some degree of shuffling is to be expected the ranks. The Science Committee is not one of the "power" committees, and for many members, especially junior ones, it is viewed as a way station to service on other committees of more interest to them.

Nevertheless, even with some churn, the transition will be much smoother than two years ago when the problems of transition in party control were compounded by an enormous influx of new committee members. Few changes will be made at the staff level, and the committee should be ready to move when the 105th Congress convenes. But the direction it moves will depend on the priorities of the new chair. That will probably take some time to discern.