Switch Coming on House Side

On the House side, Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., is leaving that post to take over the Energy and Commerce Committee. Waxman focused his two years of chairmanship on oversight of political and economic issues, although he typically did move employee-related issues through the full committee quickly once they emerged from subcommittee. Rep. Edolphus Towns of New York is next in seniority, although other members including Carolyn Maloney of New York and Elijah Cummings of Maryland might also be in the mix to replace Waxman. Rep. Darrell Issa of California appears to be in line to take over as ranking Republican to replace the retired Tom Davis of Virginia. Meanwhile, Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., chair of the federal workforce subcommittee, is considered a possibility for appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama. Davis also has sided with employee interests and has pushed for greater diversity in the upper ranks of the civil service and for various benefit improvements.