2006 Federal Elections preview.Democrats must pick up 15 U.S. House seats and six U.S. Senate seats to gain control of each chamber in the Nov. 7 general election. For Republicans to earn a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority in the Senate, they would need to pick up five seats. All 435 members of the House are up for re-election. Of the 33 Senate seats up for election, 17 currently are held by Democrats, 14 are held by Republicans, and one is held by an Independent. Insurers and other industry participants are keeping an eye on how the elections impact developments in some of the following key committees: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Chairman: Richard Shelby Richard Craig Shelby (born May 6 1934), sometimes known as Dick Shelby, is an American politician. He currently is the senior U.S. Senator from Alabama. Originally elected to the Senate as a Democrat, Shelby switched to the Republican Party in 1994 when it gained the , R-Ala. Ranking Member In United States politics, the ranking member or ranking minority member is a member of a congressional committee from the minority party, frequently the member with the highest seniority. : Paul Sarbanes Paul Spyros Sarbanes (Greek: Παύλος Σπύρος Σαρμπάνης) (born February 3, 1933), a Democrat, is a former United States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. , D-Md. Make-up: 11 Republicans, 9 Democrats Duties: Has broad jurisdiction over the nation's financial institutions and capital markets, with primary oversight of most insurance and banking matters. Includes subcommittees on financial institutions, securities, housing, economic policy and international trade. Pending Legislation: The 110th Congress is likely to see extended debate of optional federal insurance charter legislation brought by members John Sununu John Sununu is the name of two U.S. politicians:
Outlook: Ranking member Sarbanes is retiring, leaving Johnson and Christopher Dodd--ranking members of the Financial Institutions and Securities and Investment subcommittees, respectively--as leading contenders to become the panel's top Democrat. Should control of the Senate change hands, this could prove a major boost to OFC OFC Office OFC Officer OFC Of Course OFC Oxygen Free Copper OFC Oceania Football Confederation (soccer) OFC Optical Fiber Cable OFC Optical Fiber Communications OFC Optical Fiber Conference supporters. Johnson is cosponsoring a comprehensive bill; Dodd has indicated support for a life-only OFC concept. Rick Santorum “Santorum” redirects here. For other uses, see Santorum (disambiguation). Richard John Santorum (born May 10, 1958) is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. , R-Pa., Debbie Stabenow Deborah Ann "Debbie" Stabenow (born Deborah Ann Greer on April 29, 1950) is a Democratic United States Senator from Michigan. In the 2000 election, Stabenow defeated the Republican incumbent, Senator Spencer Abraham. , D-Mich., and Bob Menendez Robert "Bob" Menendez (born January 1, 1954) is a Democratic Senator from New Jersey. In January 2006, he was appointed by Jon Corzine to fill the seat made vacant by Corzine's resignation from the Senate to serve as Governor of New Jersey; Menendez subsequently won the seat in , D-N.J., are expected to face credible election challenges. Senate Finance Committee Chairman: Charles Grassley, R-Iowa Ranking Member: Max Baucus Max Sieben Baucus (born December 11 1941) is the senior United States Senator from Montana and is a member of the Democratic Party. Baucus is currently chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Finance and 10th Longest-serving current Senator. , D-Mont. Make-up: 11 Republicans, 8 Democrats, 1 Independent Duties: Writes the nation's tax rules and bills affecting Social Security and Medicare. Includes subcommittees on health care, international trade, Social Security and taxation. Pending Legislation: Will continue to debate legislation related to issues such as the proposed U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement The U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (also known as KORUS FTA) is a trade agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea. Negotiations were announced on February 2, 2006 and were concluded on April 1, 2007. , Medicare prescription-drug plans, tax reform and the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund. Outlook: The committee will lose Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who is retiring, as is member Jim Jeffords
n the provision of medical, social, and personal care services on a recurring or continuing basis to persons with chronic physical or mental disorders. , is expected to face a tight race in Pennsylvania. Proposals for direct negotiation of drug prices by Medicare, and to unwind recent changes in the tax treatment of dividends, estates and capital gains, could gain ground should Republicans lose the Senate. Senate Judiciary Committee The U.S. Senate established the Committee on the Judiciary on December 10, 1816, as one of the original 11 standing committees. It is also one of the most powerful committees in Congress; among its wide range of jurisdictions is investigation of federal judicial nominees and oversight of Chairman: Aden Specter, R-Pa. Ranking Member: Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. Make-up: 10 Republicans, 8 Democrats Duties: Approves appointments to the federal bench and provides general oversight of criminal and civil matters, patents, interstate compacts and antitrust. Includes subcommittees on administrative oversight, antitrust, immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. , intellectual property and homeland security Noun 1. Homeland Security - the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security Department of Homeland Security executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States . Pending Legislation: Host committee for contentious measures on medical-malpractice caps, asbestos litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. and lawsuit abuse reform. Specter recently has called for hearings to review the insurance industry's 60-year-old limited exemption from federal antitrust law antitrust law Any law restricting business practices that are considered unfair or monopolistic. Among U.S. laws, the best known is the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which declared illegal “every contract, combination…or conspiracy in restraint of trade or . Outlook: Republican Mike DeWine Richard Michael "Mike" DeWine (born January 5, 1947) is a former senator from Ohio. Born in Springfield, Ohio to Jean and Richard L. DeWine,[1] DeWine grew up in neighboring Yellow Springs, OH. , who chairs the antitrust subcommittee, is expected to face a tight race in Ohio, as is member Jon Kyl
Senate Haalth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman: Mike Enzi Michael Bradley "Mike" Enzi (born February 1 1944) is a conservative Republican United States Senator from Wyoming. Before his election to the U.S. Senate in 1996, Enzi had been a businessman, who at one time owned family shoe stores. , R-Wyo. Ranking Member: Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. Make-up: 11 Republicans, 9 Democrats Duties: Has broad jurisdiction over the country's health care, education, employment and retirement systems. Includes subcommittees on public health preparedness, workplace safety and retirement security. Pending Legislation: Comprehensive pension-reform legislation passed last year remains stalled in a conference committee. Enzi has pledged to revisit his proposed reforms to the small-group health insurance market, which were filibustered earlier this year. Outlook: A Democratic takeover could boost Kennedy's plan to open Medicare to all uninsured Americans. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.--a frequent sponsor of health-care legislation--is retiring, as is fellow member Jim Jeffords, I-Vt. Republican Mike DeWine, who chairs the key subcommittee on retirement security and aging, is expected to face a tough race against Rep. Sherrod Brown in the battleground "swing" state of Ohio. Fellow member John Ensign, R-Nev., also is expected to face a tough race against Jack Carter, son of former President Jimmy Carter. House Financial Services Committee Chairman: Michael Oxley, R-Ohio Ranking Member: Barney Frank, D-Mass. Make-up: 37 Republicans, 32 Democrats, 1 Independent Duties: Oversees insurance, securities, banking, housing, international finance, monetary policy and a number of financial regulators. Includes subcommittees on capital markets and insurance, monetary policy, financial institutions and investigations. Pending Legislation: The SMART Act, which proposes a "standards-based" approach to insurance regulatory reform. Committee also may take up bills focusing on natural catastrophes; the use of travel in life insurance underwriting; and possible changes to the four-year-old Sarbanes-Oxley Act See SOX. . Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., ranking member of the insurance subcommittee, plans to bring life-only optional federal charter legislation in the next session. Outlook: Chairman Oxley is retiring after 25 years in Congress, with Richard Baker, R-La., and Spencer Bachus, R-Ala.---chairmen of the subcommittees on insurance and financial institutions, respectively--seen as the most likely successors among Republicans. A change in partisan leadership could boost Frank's proposal to require greater disclosure of executive compensation to shareholders. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, chairman of the housing subcommittee, faces public questions about his ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman: Joe Barton, R-Texas Ranking Member: John Dingell, D-Mich. Make-up: 31 Republicans, 26 Democrats Duties: Has among the broadest jurisdictions of any committee, with oversight of consumer protection, public health, and interstate and foreign commerce, among other areas. Includes subcommittees on trade, health and investigations. Pending Legislation: Committee currently involved in jurisdictional dispute Conflicting claims made by two different labor unions to an employer regarding assignment of the work or union representation. Two basic types of controversies ordinarily arise in such disputes. with Financial Services Committee over data-security legislation. Member John Shadegg, R-Ariz., has proposed "regulatory federalism" to allow interstate sale of health insurance policies. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., has led investigations subcommittee in probes of fraud in asbestos and silica litigation, and insurance practices of the horse racing industry. Outlook: Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, ranking member on the health subcommittee, is leaving to run for Mike DeWine's Senate seat. Change in partisan control of the House could return longtime insurance industry critic Dingell to chairman's seat. In early 1990s, he led investigations of industry solvency and proposed removing antitrust exemption. House Ways and Means WAYS AND MEANS. In legislative assemblies there is usually appointed a committee whose duties are to inquire into, and propose to the house, the ways and means to be adopted to raise funds for the use of the government. This body is called the committee of ways and means. Committee Chairman: Bill Thomas, R-Calif. Ranking Member: Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. Make-up: 24 Republicans, 17 Democrats Duties: Serves as committee of original jurisdiction for all revenue-raising measures passed by Congress. Includes subcommittees on trade, oversight, health, Social Security, human resources and select revenue measures. Pending Legislation: Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., and Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., long have pushed for an above-the-line tax credit for purchasers of long-term-care insurance. Mark Foley, R-Fla., has proposed allowing insurers to amass tax-free reserves to protect against natural catastrophes or major terrorist events. Outlook: Chairman Thomas is retiring after more than 25 years in Congress, leaving Johnson and Clay Shaw, R-Fla., as leading candidates to succeed him. However, both Johnson and Shaw could face tough races as Republicans who represent Democratic-leaning districts. Pomeroy, a former state insurance commissioner, likewise has been targeted by GOP leadership as a Democrat representing a Republican-leaning district. Should Democrats take the House, the committee could look to unwind recent changes in the tax treatment of dividends, estates and capital gains. House Judiciary Committee Chairman: F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. Ranking Member: John Conyers, D-Mich. Make-up: 23 Republicans, 17 Democrats Duties: Oversees administration of justice by the federal courts, administrative agencies and federal law enforcement. Includes subcommittees on the Constitution, immigration, homeland security, intellectual property, and commercial and administrative law administrative law, law governing the powers and processes of administrative agencies. The term is sometimes used also of law (i.e., rules, regulations) developed by agencies in the course of their operation. . Pending Legislation: Lamar Smith, R-Texas, is sponsoring the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, which would increase civil penalties for attorneys who bring suits deemed "frivolous." Chris Cannon, R-Utah, has proposed nationwide medical criteria for asbestos cases. Committee has successfully moved legislation in several recent sessions capping noneconomic damages in medical-malpractice cases, but all have failed to pass the Senate. Outlook: Under Republican control of the House, the committee has served as the primary originator of "tort reform" bills, including measures passed by Congress earlier this session addressing class-action jurisdiction and suits against producers of firearms and fast food. That tendency would be expected to change significantly should control of the House change hands.
Upcoming Primary
Dates States
July 18 Georgia
July 25 Oklahoma
Aug. 1 Kansas
Aug. 3 Tennessee
Aug. 8 Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, Missouri
Aug. 15 Nevada
Aug. 22 Alaska, Wyoming
Sept. 5 Florida
Sept. 12 Arizona, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland,
Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island,
Vermont, Wisconsin
Sept. 19 Massachusetts, Washington
Sept. 23 Hawaii
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