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: Big freshman class on Hill to start studying early Date: Sat, 7 Nov 92 19:23:58 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION;THE CLINTON TRANSITION \SS (WS) \HD Big freshman class on Hill to start studying early \BY Thomas Galvin \CR CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY Candidates who won a place in the freshman class of Congress will soon find themselves going to preschool. Both the House and Senate will hold orientation meetings for new members long before Congress officially convenes on Jan. 5, 1993. The sessions begin Monday for the 11 Senate freshmen (a 12th could be added later if Republican Paul Coverdell wins a Georgia runoff against Sen. Wyche Fowler). Orientation starts Dec. 2 for 110 House newcomers, the largest freshman class since 1948. But House Democratic leaders aren't waiting until then to meet their new troops. They're flying out this weekend for regional meetings with freshmen in Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. In both chambers, orientation focuses on how to organize a congressional office and hire a staff. Ethics and franking privileges also are discussed. And just as in school, House freshmen in both parties will elect class presidents. Learning the ropes isn't easy. "It's like being a freshman in college all over again," said Rep. Bill Barrett, Nebraska Republican, who was just re-elected to his second term. "It's chaotic, confusing. You never know where to go next or how to set priorities." The House orientation sessions will be followed Dec. 7-10 by party organizational meetings that could go a long way toward determining who controls the agenda for the 103rd Congress. The tremendous size of the House freshman class could give the newcomers significant clout, particularly if they stand unified on issues such as congressional reform, deficit reduction and other matters that many emphasized during their campaigns. "Any time you have a group that large - if they see eye-to-eye - that's a substantial block of votes," said Christopher P. Deering, a political science professor at George Washington University. The new members, for example, could force adoption of a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced-budget amendment; it lost by just nine votes in the House this year. A presidential line-item veto also was a popular campaign refrain. Freshman support for that idea - coupled with Democrat Bill Clinton's election - could be enough to turn the tide. House freshmen will demand a chance to fulfill campaign promises to "clean up" Congress. But differences over what constitutes reform and institutional resistance to change will be hard to overcome, said Mr. Deering. House leaders have already tried to pre-empt some of the demands for reform through creation of a professional administrator's post and an overhaul of internal House operations. In addition, proposed rules changes that would make committee chairmen more accountable to the Democratic Caucus will be sent to the freshmen-elect in the coming weeks. "We want them to see reform is under way," said Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, New York Democrat, who chaired the Democratic task force that proposed the rules changes. In a departure from past practice, House leaders plan to make committee assignments during the organizing sessions in December. That process ordinarily isn't completed until January, but Democratic leaders want Congress up and running by the time Mr. Clinton is inaugurated on Jan. 20. Freshmen usually are relegated to committees such as Banking, Public Works, Science and Technology and Post Office. But with such a large class, congressional leaders may give freshmen some slots on the most powerful committees, including Appropriations and Ways and Means. How many newcomers wind up with such plums will depend in part on how many returning members want to give up seniority on their current committees to take advantage of openings on Ways and Means or Appropriations. For example, four veteran New York Democrats are seeking to fill the two seats on Appropriations relinquished by retiring New Yorkers. That will make it difficult for a freshman from New York to get on that committee. On the other hand, Florida lost two appropriators, but only one returning member of the delegation, Democrat Jim Bacchus, is currently lobbying to get on the committee. That could open a slot for one of the new Florida Democrats. * Distributed by Scripps Howard. 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