IP: CRA Bulletin Vol 4/ No 6: Election Special

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

COMPUTING RESEARCH ASSOCIATION


BULLETIN


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Volume 4   Number 6    November 6, 1996
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About CRA: Computing Research Association is a non-profit association of
computer science and computer engineering departments, industrial research
institutions and affiliated technical societies in the United States and
Canada.


Archives:       Located at http://www.cra.org/cra_b/.


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ELECTION SPECIAL:


1. IMPACT ON THE HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE
2: EFFECTS ON SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE


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1. IMPACT ON THE HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE


How did yesterday's 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 is 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
House. Of course, in the reshuffling, more members could leave the Science
Committee.


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.


Steve Schiff (R NM), who chairs the Basic Research Subcommittee, is expected
to continue with that post. Although he represents the Albuquerque area,
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
will likely continue on as chair and to use the subcommittee as a forum with
which to criticize Environmental Protection Agency research, particularly
on climate change.


If Sensenbrenner does take over as full committee chair, Dave Weldon (R FL)
will be in line to chair the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. Since he
represents Florida's "Space Coast," which includes Cape Canaveral, it would
seem to be an opportunity much too good for Weldon to pass up.


As of this time, Ranking Minority Member George Brown (D CA) seems to be
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. The committee
should be ready to move. But the direction it moves will depend on the
priorities of the new chair. That will take more time to discern.


And, of course,over the next few months we will be able to discern a little
more clearly the effects of other changes in House committees that have
some influence over science policy.


2: EFFECTS ON SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE


The Senate is always more stable, since only one third of the seats are at
risk in each election and because the Senate is slower to change course.
The Senate also shows less intense interest in science and science policy.
One major change, however, is on the Senate Commerce Committee, which has
jurisdiction over much civilian federal R&D.


Larry Pressler (R SD), chair of the committee last year, lost his
reelection bid. Next ranking member, Ted Stevens (R AL) will be moving over
to replace Mark Hatfield as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Next in line will be John McCain (R AZ), who will undoubtedly take the
position. Chair of the Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee has been
Conrad Burns (R MT), who was not up for reelection this year and who may or
may not retain that role.