Tue, Mar. 9, 2004

Pryor faces committee changes
Tuesday, Dec 7, 2004

By Alison Vekshin
Stephens Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., on Monday was forced off the committee that handles military issues as Senate Democrats reshuffled their assignments for the new Congress.

The first-term senator lost his seat on the Armed Services Committee, from where he had worked on bills affecting the Pine Bluff Arsenal, the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith and other Arkansas military installations.

"That's an involuntary departure on my part," Pryor said. "I hate to lose it. It's just the way the numbers worked this year."

Pryor was reassigned to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the Select Committee on Ethics.

Pryor also kept his seats on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship committees.

Democrats had to relinquish one seat on each committee as a result of their election losses. Democrats went from 48 to 44 seats. They also had to find committees for Sen. Jim Jeffords, a Vermont independent, for the session that begins in January.

Pryor maintained he did not need to be on the Armed Services Committee to work on military issues, but would try to get back on the panel. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the committee chairman, and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the ranking member, put in a word for him to stay, he said.

Instead, Pryor gained an assignment on the Commerce panel, which fields about 60 percent of the Senate's legislation.

The 22-member panel addresses issues including interstate commerce, highway safety and scientific research.

Pryor said he asked for the assignment, which he said would allow him to work on issues affecting the trucking and telecommunications industries, which have a presence in Arkansas.

Pryor also was assigned to the Select Committee on Ethics, a traditionally unpopular assignment. The panel is charged with enforcing the Senate's Code of Official Conduct and exploring complaints and allegations of improper conduct among senators.

"It's one of those that people back home may not get a huge amount of benefit from," Pryor said. "It's important that we set an ethical standard in the Senate."

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., who has more seniority, was not affected by the reorganization.

Lincoln kept her seats on the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging. She gave up her seat on the Select Committee on Ethics.

In the House, lawmakers still are awaiting reorganization.

Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, has asked to keep his seats on the Veterans' Affairs and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.

Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, has expressed strong interest in a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee. The panel has jurisdiction over health, interstate and foreign commerce, consumer protection and energy issues.

If offered the assignment, Ross would have to give up his seats on the Agriculture and Financial Services committees.