Election Brings Change To Congressional Panels

No matter who wins the Senate in the midterm elections, some familiar faces in key communications committees will be gone.

Three of the most veteran legislators on the communications front, all Democrats, are retiring after, collectively, almost 130 years in Congress, give or take a recess or two: Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), the ranking member on the House Commerce Committee; and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), the longest-serving member of Congress in history.

If the Democrats pull off an upset and manage to hold the Senate, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) is expected to succeed Chairman Rockefeller. That could put more power in the hands of the chairman of the Communications Subcommittee since Sen Nelson has not been very involved in communications issues on the committee. A Republican victory may mean Sen. John Thune (R-SD) replaces Chairman Rockefeller. In the House, Republicans will remain in control, but Waxman’s exit as the ranking member of the Commerce Committee opens up a slot for, likely, either Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) or Rep Frank Pallone (D-NJ).