HARKIN TRADES AG FOR HEALTH PANEL GAVEL, LINCOLN TO HEAD AG COMMITTEE
News Date September 09, 2009
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that he will leave his position as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry in order to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) atop the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) will replace Harkin as head of the Agriculture Committee.
Following the announcement, Lincoln said, “As Chairman, I will work with my colleagues to build upon the Committee’s strong record and devote my full energy to producing forward-looking, balanced priorities on behalf of all families and communities. I will continue to fight for the hardworking farm families and rural communities who provide the safest, most abundant and affordable supply of food and fiber in the world.”
Harkin takes the HELP gavel as the healthcare debate in Congress heats up. Observers had been waiting on whether Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who had seniority over Harkin on HELP, would give up his chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee to take over the health committee. Dodd made clear his intention to stay at banking earlier today. (Contact: Nathan Bowen)