buglerbilly
06-05-10, 03:36 AM
By WILLIAM MATTHEWS
Published: 5 May 2010 17:11
Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., emerged as the leading contender to become chairman of the House Appropriations Committee after Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., announced May 5 that he will be retiring.
Dicks "is intending to seek the chairmanship," said an aide. He also plans to remain chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, a post he assumed in March after the death of Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
Dicks received something of an endorsement from Obey, who said during his retirement announcement that "there is no reason to assume that [Dicks] would not be chairman of the full committee."
Dicks is second in seniority on the House Appropriations Committee behind the outgoing chairman. Frequently, chairmanships are awarded on the basis of seniority, but ultimately the decision is up to the party caucus. Obey added, "I think Norm would do fine."
Dicks' aide said gaining the full committee chairmanship is "not likely to have any real impact" on how he runs the defense subcommittee.
But a former Appropriations Committee staffer said the full committee chairmanship would give Dicks substantially more influence.
"The only thing that outranks a cardinal is a pope," he said.
Gawd help us Dicky Boy gets this spot..........
The Appropriations subcommittee chairmen are often referred to as Congress' cardinals because they wield so much influence over the appropriations bills that regulate federal government spending.
Obey announced that after 48 years in politics and 42 years in the House, he will retire rather than run for reelection this fall.
When elected in 1962, Obey was the youngest member of the House. "I have gone through 25 elections, engaged in countless battles" and "am ready to turn the page," he said. "I am bone-tired."
Obey said his House career spanned the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, the Iranian hostage crisis, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the recent economic meltdown.
A liberal leader in the House, Obey said his proudest moments include helping to end the Contra war in Nicaragua that was fought with help from the CIA and secretly supported by the Reagan administration.
Obey said he was proud of his role "in resisting American colonialism in Latin America."
The decision to retire was propelled in part by the recent deaths of two colleagues. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Texas, who served from 1972 to 1996, and Murtha both died in February at age 76.
"For me, that's four years away," Obey said. By the time he retires next winter, Obey said he will have served longer than all but 18 members in the history of the House. "The wear and tear are taking a toll," he said.
Published: 5 May 2010 17:11
Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., emerged as the leading contender to become chairman of the House Appropriations Committee after Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., announced May 5 that he will be retiring.
Dicks "is intending to seek the chairmanship," said an aide. He also plans to remain chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, a post he assumed in March after the death of Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
Dicks received something of an endorsement from Obey, who said during his retirement announcement that "there is no reason to assume that [Dicks] would not be chairman of the full committee."
Dicks is second in seniority on the House Appropriations Committee behind the outgoing chairman. Frequently, chairmanships are awarded on the basis of seniority, but ultimately the decision is up to the party caucus. Obey added, "I think Norm would do fine."
Dicks' aide said gaining the full committee chairmanship is "not likely to have any real impact" on how he runs the defense subcommittee.
But a former Appropriations Committee staffer said the full committee chairmanship would give Dicks substantially more influence.
"The only thing that outranks a cardinal is a pope," he said.
Gawd help us Dicky Boy gets this spot..........
The Appropriations subcommittee chairmen are often referred to as Congress' cardinals because they wield so much influence over the appropriations bills that regulate federal government spending.
Obey announced that after 48 years in politics and 42 years in the House, he will retire rather than run for reelection this fall.
When elected in 1962, Obey was the youngest member of the House. "I have gone through 25 elections, engaged in countless battles" and "am ready to turn the page," he said. "I am bone-tired."
Obey said his House career spanned the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, the Iranian hostage crisis, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the recent economic meltdown.
A liberal leader in the House, Obey said his proudest moments include helping to end the Contra war in Nicaragua that was fought with help from the CIA and secretly supported by the Reagan administration.
Obey said he was proud of his role "in resisting American colonialism in Latin America."
The decision to retire was propelled in part by the recent deaths of two colleagues. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Texas, who served from 1972 to 1996, and Murtha both died in February at age 76.
"For me, that's four years away," Obey said. By the time he retires next winter, Obey said he will have served longer than all but 18 members in the history of the House. "The wear and tear are taking a toll," he said.