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Ranking Democrat on House Science Committee Will Switch Parties
Congressman Ralph Hall (D-TX), ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee, announced that he has switched political parties and has filed as a Republican in his district's 2004 primary election. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has nominated Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) to replace Rep. Hall as ranking Democrat on the Science Committee. Rep. Gordon is the second most senior Democrat on the House Science Committee and the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.
Rep. Hall's switch may set off a chain reaction involving committee assignments in both parties. If Rep. Gordon becomes ranking Democrat on the full Science Committee, then he would probably step down from his position as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics and leave a vacancy that would be filled by another Democrat. If Rep. Hall is re-elected as a Republican and remains on the Science Committee, then he may be granted seniority over members of his party and could potentially occupy a Republican leadership position on the committee.
Rep. Hall's switch of political party may complicate committee assignments elsewhere. Both Hall and Gordon are also members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has a significant influence on environmental issues. Hall will vacate a Democratic slot on this committee as well as the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee and Health Subcommittee. Because this is an exclusive committee (i.e., its members cannot sit on other committees), Gordon may also have to relinquish his seat if he becomes ranking member of the Science Committee. Both Gordon and Hall have been allowed to keep dual membership until now because they served on the Energy and Commerce Committee before it was made exclusive. If Gordon is not permitted to remain on Energy and Commerce, a second coveted spot on this committee will become available to another Democrat. In this case, Gordon would also vacate his spots on the Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee and Health Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce.
Congressman Hall, who has represented Texas's 4th district since 1980, stated that his switch to the Republican Party would allow him to better serve his district in the Republican Congress. Hall said, “This year I was denied requests for district appropriations because I was a Democrat who voted against the bill. I have always stated that inasmuch as I was a Democrat representing a conservative and Republican district (66%), that if being a Democrat hurt my district I would either resign or switch parties. Today I kept my word.”
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