New Leaders, New Attitude

With the Democratic sweep of Congress, newly appointed chairs of U.S. House and Senate committees are getting ready to take up leadership positions. The new committee leaders are promising hearings and legislation on workers' bargaining rights, health care and other key CWA issues that were ignored in the last Congress. Below is a short list of committees and the new chairs with whom CWA will be working in the 110th Congress. Also of vital interest is the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, to be chaired by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). The chair for the related Senate telecom subcommittee hadn't been announced at press time.

U.S. Senate
Labor & Pensions — Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)
Appropriations — Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.)
Budget — Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.)
Veterans Affairs — Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)
Transportation — Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)
Finance — Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)

U.S. House
Education and Labor — Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.)
Appropriations — Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.)
Budget — Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.)
Government Reform — Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.)
Transportation and Infrastructure — Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.)
Veterans' Affairs — Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.)
Ways and Means — Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.)