Inouye Leaving Commerce Committee Chair

In January, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) will step down in order to become the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Sen Robert Byrd, 93, announced Friday that he would yield his gavel after numerous reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) wanted Sen Inouye, 84, to lead the panel responsible for more than $900 billion in federal spending annually. Inouye's departure means that Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) would become Commerce Committee Chairman but that would require Sen Rockefeller to give up the chairmanship of the Intelligence Committee. If Sen Rockefeller didn't take the top Commerce post, Sen John Kerry (D-MA) would be next in line. But Sen Kerry is reportedly interested in becoming President-elect Barack Obama's Secretary of State. If Kerry passes on the top Commerce position, Sen Byron L. Dorgan (ND) would have seniority to be Commerce chairman.