A congressman with influence.

Byline: Mark Baker The Register-Guard

CORVALLIS - He was hand-picked for the coveted House Select Committee on Homeland Security, and he wrote the legislation that would put federal marshals on the nation's airplanes. He's the ranking Democrat on the House's Aviation Subcommittee, and he's viewed by his colleagues in Congress as a rising star.

So what does Rep. Peter DeFazio, Oregon's fiery populist and 16-year veteran in Congress, think of his growing clout?

Not much, actually. He says he's not gaining popularity as much as he's just getting old. In the world of Washington politics, influence comes with experience. And he finds it ironic that, as a fledgling congressman, he used to "raise his fist and rail" against congressional seniority. Newer, younger blood was needed, he would say.

"If I didn't think there was hope, I wouldn't keep doing this job because, frankly, I don't want to get on airplanes anymore," said DeFazio, who hates to fly.

Oregon's democratic Sen. Ron Wyden isn't buying DeFazio's dismissal of his growing importance.

"No question about it," Wyden said in a recent telephone interview. "He's got great expertise and he's just going to continue to pick up more responsibility."

DeFazio's standing in Congress rose last week when he was appointed to the newly created Homeland Security Committee. The 50-member committee, which meets for the first time on Tuesday, will oversee the Department of Homeland Security - a 170,000-person bureaucracy - created by President Bush in the wake of Sept. 11.

DeFazio, 55, was also last week elected the ranking Democrat on the House's Aviation Subcommittee, where his work to make the nation's airlines safer began before the terrorist attacks 17 months ago.

In fact, it was DeFazio who introduced on Sept. 14, 2001, the airline security bill that put federal officers in charge of airport security and expanded the air marshal program.

Whether driving his 1968 convertible Barracuda through the nation's capital or railing against tax breaks for the rich, DeFazio has long been a visible character in Congress. But now, in these post 9-11 days, his image seems to be taking on a new sheen.

He's a flaming liberal in the Republican-controlled House, yet he manages to maintain a following in Washington - and also at home in Oregon.

At a town hall meeting Thursday in a Corvallis fire hall, DeFazio was asked how he's managed to get elected eight times running.

"Lots of Republican votes," DeFazio replied.

Indeed, the feisty Democrat appeals to those in both parties, whether he is out talking with constituents on the street, or reaching across the aisle in Congress.

"What's unique about Peter is he stays very consistent," said Corvallis City Councilor Tina Empol, who attended the town hall meeting Thursday. "And Republicans respect that."

He's not worried about holding his own in a Republican-controlled Congress.

"All you can do is offer a responsible alternative," he said.

DeFazio said he landed on the Homeland Security Committee by putting forth a challenge to Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who succeeded Dick Gephardt as House minority leader. DeFazio called Pelosi and urged her to select someone for the committee who would raise tough questions about this new department and how it will operate.

"Well, you're the guy for that," she told him.

DeFazio has never been one to keep his opinions to himself.

Rep. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent and one of DeFazio's closest friends in Congress, knows that well.

"He always represents the viewpoint of the people and the workers, and he isn't afraid to stand up and say how he feels," Sanders said. "And the reality is there are very few people in Congress who are willing to do that."

DeFazio is not without his detractors and he has certainly had his battles with Republicans, particularly on the House Resources Committee, where forest and other environmental issues can split down party lines.

"We have opposite philosophies on a lot of issues," said U.S. Rep John Shadegg, R-Arizona, who serves with DeFazio on the House Resources Committee and who sits on the Homeland Security Committee. But the two are usually able to come to agreement, Shadegg said.

When it comes to war in Iraq, however, these two are as far apart as it gets.

"Saddam Hussein needs to be dealt with," Shadegg said. "And it's better to deal with him now rather than later."

Now in his ninth term, DeFazio has been one of the leading congressional voices opposed to war in Iraq. Last weekend DeFazio spoke out against war on the steps of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Eugene during one of the largest anti-war rallies the city had seen in decades.

His anti-war rhetoric drew cheers from the crowds.

Corvallis resident Steve Hoop, 52, said DeFazio is always "a breath of fresh air. It's really a shame that we don't have more individuals like that in public government."

This week, DeFazio has been reaching out to constituents in the new parts of his district, which grew by 50,000 after the last census. He went to Cave Junction and other small towns in Josephine County talking about his economic stimulus bill and domestic priorities needed to lift Oregon out of its economic slump.

In the tiny town of Williams, about 20 miles south of Grants Pass, DeFazio did not know what to expect on Tuesday. He had never been to Williams. And no one there, in the packed gymnasium of Williams High School, could remember the last time a public official came to speak to them, DeFazio said.

It was a long way from Eugene, both in distance and politics. "But there was nobody standing up and saying, 'By God, we've got to rush to war.' '

The biggest threat now to Oregonians is not Saddam Hussein, terrorism or the threat of nuclear war, DeFazio said Saturday. "The biggest threat to the state of Oregon is a lack of jobs and proper health care."

DeFazio believes President Bush's $674 billion economic stimulus package unveiled in January is a long-term tax break for the wealthy that fails to invest in critical infrastructure or put money in the hands of Americans who will spend it and jump-start the economy. Instead, DeFazio has proposed a two-year $300 billion plan that would extend unemployment benefits, invest in infrastructure, provide a payroll tax holiday, offer tax relief for small businesses and middle and lower-income families and assist cash-strapped state budgets. The bill is still in committee and has not been debated on the House floor yet, said DeFazio's press secretary, Kristine Greco.

DeFazio's swing through Oregon this week was more than just a chance to stump for support from his constituents. Being on his home turf keeps him grounded.

"It's pretty lonely in Washington sometimes," he said with a grin, just before being called to the podium at the Eugene rally on Saturday. "So it's good to come home where the people have their heads on a little straighter."

CAPTION(S):

Congressman Peter DeFazio spoke about the budget deficit, Social Security and the possibility of war in Iraq during a town hall meeting in Corvallis on Thursday afternoon.