Reid unveils Senate committee chairmen

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Monday announced the lineup of Senate committee chairmen for the 111th Congress. The list, which will not be final until it is approved by the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee in January, had few surprises. The lineup of chairmen is unrelated to committee memberships and Democrat-Republican ratios, both of which have not been finalized. Sen Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) is slated to take over the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee. Sen Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will retain his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Sen Edward Kennedy (MA), who is battling brain cancer, will stay on as chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Sen John Kerry (MA) will take over the Foreign Relations Committee gavel. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (WV) is taking over the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, while Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA) is taking over the Senate Select Intelligence Committee and Sen. Charles Schumer (NY) is moving to the helm of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. Sen. Mary Landrieu (LA) is assuming leadership over the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Sens Barbara Boxer (CA) is remaining in charge of the Environment and Public Works Committee; Jeff Bingaman (NM), the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Kent Conrad (ND), Budget; Carl Levin (MI), Armed Services; Tom Harkin (Iowa), Agriculture; Chris Dodd (CT), Banking; Patrick Leahy (VT), Judiciary; Max Baucus (Mont.), Finance; and Daniel Akaka (Hawaii), Veterans Affairs.