Waxman Backed to Be Energy Chairman

By a narrow margin, a House Democratic advisory committee recommended Rep. Henry A. Waxman (Calif.) to be the next chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, rejecting the current chairman, Rep. John D. Dingell (Mich.), who has been a longtime ally of the now-struggling auto industry.

On a 25 to 22 vote, the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee favored Waxman over Dingell, setting up what could be an equally close vote by the full House Democratic caucus today that could break along the party's ideological and regional fault lines.

At the same time, House Republicans, having lost at least 20 seats in the second straight election cycle, reelected Rep. John A. Boehner (Ohio) as minority leader. But several new lieutenants from a younger, more conservative wing of the party joined Boehner's leadership team, including Rep. Eric I. Cantor (Va.), who was unanimously elected minority whip. The 47-year-old Richmond lawmaker is the highest-ranking Jewish Republican in congressional history.

The battle for the gavel of the Energy and Commerce Committee has become a fierce game of Capitol intrigue, because of the players involved and the vast jurisdictional power the panel holds over health care, energy issues and telecommunications policy.

Much of President-elect Barack Obama's agenda will go through that panel, raising the stakes for the Waxman-Dingell race. And the chairman's contest comes as Detroit's Big Three automakers are pleading with Congress to approve a $25 billion rescue package, with Dingell's wife, Debbie, serving as an executive at cash-strapped General Motors.

Dingell, 82, who was first elected in 1954, will become the longest-serving House member in history in February, having been chairman or ranking member of the energy committee since the early 1980s. He has often opposed changes that more liberal Democrats have sought to impose on the automakers, but helped shepherd an increase in fuel efficiency standards into law last year. Dingell has often clashed publicly with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) over legislation involving issues such as global warming.

Waxman, who represents Beverly Hills and other Los Angeles areas, hails from the party's liberal wing and is viewed as a Pelosi ally.

Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.), who runs the Democratic steering committee, told reporters after yesterday's vote that Pelosi did not voice her opinion during the panel's deliberations, in keeping with her vows to remain publicly neutral in a race. Sources indicated that House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) spoke in favor of Dingell, who had supported him in past leadership races.

Among the Republicans, Boehner beat back a last-minute challenge by Rep. Daniel E. Lungren (Calif.) despite the fact that, under Boehner's leadership, the party lost 53 House seats combined in 2006 and 2008.

"To rebuild the party, the energy has to come from us. And I will challenge all of you," Boehner told his colleagues, according to a transcript provided by his office.