Wisconsin's delegation plays big role on Capitol Hill
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By MARK PITSCH
Lee Newspapers
Sunday, December 14, 2008 12:07 AM CST
From economic recovery to health care to reining in the power of the president, Wisconsin’s mostly Democratic congressional delegation will guide key debates and author critical laws when federal lawmakers return in January.
In part that’s because they’ll be working with a Democratic president and expanded Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate.
But perhaps not since William Proxmire led the Senate Banking Committee and Les Aspin chaired the House Armed Services Committee between 1987 and 1989 have Wisconsin’s federal lawmakers had so much political muscle.
“The Wisconsin delegation is going to have a strong role to play in the new Congress,” said Ed Miller, a UW-Stevens Point political science professor. “They have seniority and they have roles on committees that are very, very important. The bottom line is our members are pretty powerful in Congress.“
Three in particular will have a national stage and will have a hand in shaping key policies.
Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, will again lead the committee that controls the federal pursestrings — and play a major role in crafting any new economic stimulus bill that federal lawmakers cook up when they return to work in January.
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, says he’ll make “restoring the rule of law” to the presidency a top priority, and he has the ear of the present-elect on the issue. Feingold has been a leading critic of President George W. Bush’s interpretation of his presidential powers.
And with Republicans looking for fresh, new faces and ideas as the party tries to resuscitate itself after two straight electoral beatings, Rep. Paul Ryan, the telegenic Republican from Janesville, is emerging as a top policymaker and leading voice in the GOP on fiscal and economic matters.
Dean of the delegation
Obey, 70, is the dean of the state congressional delegation, having been first elected in 1969.
As chairman of the Appropriations Committee, he has emerged as one of the most powerful members of the House. And he’s one of a handful of top Democrats crafting a multi-billion dollar economic stimulus bill Congress is expected to deliver to Obama soon after his inauguration.
“Clearly the top priority is the economic stimulus,” said political science professor David Canon, an expert on Congress at UW-Madison. “The accelerated schedule is what puts so much more pressure on Obey and the rest of the leadership to come up with a package.“
Feingold, 55, has been wielding increasing influence on civil liberties, anti-terrorism and foreign policy matters. He was the only senator to vote against the USA Patriot Act and he has been one of the most consistent and sharp critics of President Bush’s positions on the use of torture and the prison at Guantanamo, Cuba.
Feingold is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is chairman of its African Affairs subcommittee. He said he would encourage Obama to address terrorism and other foreign policy challenges in the horn of Africa, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“We have an opportunity to reverse almost six years of the wrong foreign policy,” Feingold said.
Ryan is expected to become a key policy leader on economic issues, including how and whether to reform federal health programs for the poor and the elderly, taxes and Social Security.
He’s rising on the ladder of national Republican politics and is often touted as a potential leader in the House or as a candidate for statewide office in Wisconsin.
Other members of the state federal delegation could emerge as key policymakers in the next two years.
With Obama promising to tackle health care reform, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, is expected to be a leading voice on the issue.
Moderate Democratic Rep. Ron Kind of La Crosse gained attention last year by leading a bipartisan proposal to reform agriculture policy, and observers say he can build on that work.
And Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Milwaukee, is seen as quietly effective on agriculture and legislation important to seniors.
Four other state lawmakers aren’t likely to have as much influence. Two long-time Republicans, Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac, and Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Menomonee Falls, will probably be outside major policy debates in the Democratic Congress but could be influential in transportation or climate change debates.
Democratic Reps. Steve Kagen of Appleton and Gwen Moore of Milwaukee are about to enter their second and third terms in office and have yet to build up much seniority.
Lee Newspapers reporter Jason Stein contributed to this report.
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