Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Frosh planning to clean House Date: Sun, 22 Nov 92 17:26:45 EST Message-ID: \SE A \HD Frosh planning to clean House \BY Major Garrett \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The 110 new members of the House of Representatives make up the largest, most diverse freshmen class in American history. They will arive in Washington soon with a mandate to strip Congress of perks, lower the nation's deficit and tackle the twin ills of a sluggish economy and runaway health care costs. While most of the burden will fall on President-elect Bill Clinton and his administration, many new members of the House fear they will have to make their mark quickly or risk being ousted by voters hungry for action. Many have launched aggressive campaigns for openings on powerful committees such as Ways and Means (13 vacancies), Appropriations (19 vacancies), and Energy and Commerce (12 vacancies) as a way of getting a toehold. It is rare for freshmen to land seats on any of these committees - the last time a freshman got on the Appropriations Committee was in 1983 - but events have conspired to favor freshmen. Landing a key committee post would give freshmen ready access to lobbyists and PACs eager to mold unsuspecting lawmakers into advocates for their cause in the coming debates over taxes, health care and environmental regulation. They would also provide a means to deliver more to their constituents and solidify their own power base. In short, these outsiders are now gunning to become insiders. "This is a class that comes in saying contradictory things," said Norman Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. "They say, 'We're not part of the system, yet we're going to break gridlock.' " Historians will probably view the 103rd Congress and its enormous freshman class as one of the most intriguing, and possibly influential, in American history. The Democratic leadership took the unprecedented step earlier this month of meeting all the new Democrats, a move aides deny was designed to temper reformist passions. The freshman class arrives in the aftermath of scandals that brought the House's reputation to a historic low. Yet it has an unprecedented opportunity to pass bills on economic growth, deficit reduction and health care that could have a sweeping effect on the way Americans live. Congress will decide Dec. 7-10 how deeply it will slash the number of subcommittees and put a ceiling on how many a member can belong to. A leadership committee has recommended eliminating 16 subcommittees, but reformers could push for more. Those from the freshman class who emerge as leaders could find themselves being touted later for senator or governor and, some years hence, may be in position to land a Cabinet post. The competition for leadership will be fierce. The freshmen profiled here have past legislative experience, skills in the private sector or in academia, or ties to Washington. All ran solid campaigns. Only 31 of the 110 new members have never held elective office. "It is disproportionately experienced," Mr. Ornstein said. "These are people who have a substantial amount of experience in public life." While the stakes are high for the new members, the expectations and burdens will be large as well. Republicans will have to rise above the status of potted plants in a Congress where they will be greatly outnumbered and where the president does not need them to govern. If they blindly oppose the new administration, voters might conclude in two years that Mr. Clinton needs more Democrats and fewer one-note Republicans. "A lot of freshmen were elected because we are not supposed to be part of the woodwork," said Rep.-elect Henry Bonilla, a Republican from Texas' 23rd District. "We will fight against the tide. It's a huge, mammoth task. But what's the alternative?" Mr. Bonilla is a television executive, a newcomer to politics and the first Hispanic Republican ever elected to Congress in Texas. He's one of six new Hispanics in Congress and hopes to lay the groundwork for the GOP to improve recruitment of Hispanics throughout the Southwest. Some Democrats will find it difficult to act on the conflicting messages of their own campaigns, those sent by the voters nationally and the immense dilemma Mr. Clinton faces in dealing with the economy. Rep.-elect Marjorie Margolies Mezvinsky is a Democrat who won with a strong surge from pro-Clinton voters in a north Philadelphia district where Republicans outnumber Democrats by 2-1. A former television reporter in Washington and wife of former Rep. Edward Mezvinsky of Iowa, Mrs. Mezvinsky knows Washington and the corridors of power. She is one of 19 new women members of Congress. But she still has to decide how she's going to be loyal to Mr. Clinton and the Democratic leadership and represent a constituency that adamantly opposes new taxes. In her district, Ross Perot and President Bush won 57 percent of the vote. "We talked about it a lot," Mrs. Mezvinsky said of the role the deficit played in her campaign. "I really do think we're socking our kids with a deficit we can't solve for many, many years." She could support new taxes only on the top 1 percent of income earners, although it would be a "tough sell" back home, where many of her constituents are in that tax bracket. Mr. Clinton campaigned to raise taxes on the top 2 percent, but many analysts expect he would have to tax those earning less to pay for his new programs. "I feel very strongly about what I can and cannot support," she said, suggesting she and the new president might have to part company on a new economic policy. Another Republican newcomer, Gov. Michael N. Castle of Delaware, is expected to emerge as a key strategist for Republicans in dealing with the new president. Mr. Castle worked closely with Mr. Clinton when, as governors, they pressed nationally for welfare reform in 1988. He could use this knowledge to inform other Republicans about Mr. Clinton's negotiating style. He won his at-large House seat after being barred by state law from seeking a third term. "He'll go around from person to person," Mr. Castle said of Mr. Clinton. "I don't think it will be his approach to introduce a piece of legislation and say 'Take it or leave it.' I fully expect him to consult us." Mr. Castle sees Republicans and many new Democrats pushing for smaller government, despite the desire of Mr. Clinton's administration to satisfy interest groups seeking initiatives in education, the environment, urban affairs and public works. "Congress has been extremely self-serving," Mr. Castle said. "A majority of us ran on a basic message that government is too big and the deficit is too large." A promising Democratic freshman is Melvin Watt of North Carolina's 2nd District. He and Eva Clayton, who won in the state's 1st District, are the first black members of Congress from North Carolina in 91 years. Mr. Watt was voted the state's "most effective freshmen" when he was a state senator. He left politics to raise his two sons but later returned to manage Harvey Gantt's unsuccessful bid to unseat Republican Sen. Jesse Helms in 1990. He is one of 13 new black members of Congress. Mr. Watt said he will support a new jobs program to help stimulate the economy, saving tough budget cuts for later. He said he would be inclined to oppose the line-item veto Mr. Clinton supports or even the so-called enhanced rescission means of budget-cutting favored by Speaker Thomas S. Foley. That's because Mr. Watt's new black-majority district stretches north from Charlotte and winds eastward across seven counties until it ends in Durham. Budget cuts first affect programs "that would be beneficial to poor people," and Mr. Watt said he's coming to Washington to protect their interests. ****PHOTOS/BOX KEEP ON EYE OUT A partial list of members to watch in the 110-member freshman class of 1992: DEMOCRATS Blanche Lambert, 1st District of Arkansas. Occupation: Lobbyist. Age: 32. Single. Synopsis: A self-described "Southern lady" who once worked for Rep. Bill Alexander and then defeated her former boss in the primary. Miss Lambert is vying for a seat on the coveted Energy and Commerce Committee. Jane Harman, 36th District of California. Occupation: Lawyer. Age: 47. Married with four children. Synopsis: Served as deputy secretary to the Cabinet in 1977-78 and as a special counsel to the Defense Department in 1979. Has an Armed Services Committee seat waiting for her. Carrie Meek, 17th District of Florida. Occupation: State senator. Age: 66. Divorced with three children. Synopsis: Elected to state House in 1979 and has been a member of Legislature ever since. Will seek more help for areas damaged by Hurricane Andrew and lobby to loosen policy on Haitian immigration. Mel Reynolds, 2nd District of Illinois. Occupation: College instructor. Age: 40. Married with one child. Synopsis: Defeated Rep. Gus Savage in primary. Father died at early age, forcing family to collect welfare and live in public housing. Educated in Chicago public schools and received Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford. Melvin Watt, 12th District of North Carolina. Occupation: Lawyer. Age: 47. Married with two children. Synopsis: One of the first two blacks sent to Congress from North Carolina in 91 years, Mr. Watt is a former state legislator who ran Harvey Gantt's unsuccessful campaign against Republican Sen. Jesse Helms. Strong advocate for urban programs and likely opponent of trying to cut deficit by shrinking aid to cities or the poor. REPUBLICANS: Michael Huffington, 22nd District of California. Occupation: Owner of video production company. Age: 45. Married, no children. Synopsis: Defeated nine-term Rep. Robert Lagomarsino in primary with $3 million of his own money. Also defeated Democrat Gloria Ochoa in district with 45 percent Republican registration. Has vowed to fight tobacco industry, eliminate all House perks and cut staff size. Michael N. Castle, Delaware at-large. Occupation: Governor of Delaware. Age: 53. Married, no children. Synopsis: Worked closely with Gov. Bill Clinton in pushing Congress to approve a 1988 welfare reform bill. Will be sought for insight to Mr. Clinton's approach and tactics. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 21st District of Florida. Occupation: Lawyer. Age: 38. Married with two children. Synopsis: The former Democrat took over the reins of the Omaha Summit, the reformist meeting of GOP freshmen this weekend in Omaha that had been the brainchild of defeated Republican candidate Tom Huening. With strong Hispanic backing, Mr. Diaz-Balart will press to continue embargo against Cuba. Peter I. Blute, 3rd District of Massachusetts. Occupation: State representative. Age: 36. Married, no children. Synopsis: Defeated nine-term incumbent Rep. Joseph D. Early, who bounced 140 checks at House bank and blamed leadership for hanging him out to dry. Mr. Blute authored repeal of state's services tax and favors market-based solutions to health care woes. Henry Bonilla, 23rd District of Texas. Occupation: Television executive. Age: 38. Married with two children. Synopsis: Mr. Bonilla is the first Hispanic Republican elected to Congress. He defeated Rep. Albert G. Bustamante. He favors two limits of four years for House members and will fight against new regulations on small businesses. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM