Politico.com
By KATHRYN A. WOLFE and BURGESS EVERETT
5/7/12 11:14 PM EDT
The transportation conference committee will meet for the first time on Tuesday. Here are five things to watch as negotiations get started:
Leadership involvement
Conferees are convinced this will be a “real conference” in which most issues won’t have to go to leadership, as was the case with parts of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The Senate has named two of its top members of leadership to the conference team: Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois and third-ranking Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) did not name any members of leadership to the committee, but his team is certain to be monitoring progress closely. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), a conferee, told POLITICO, “I have to suspect, at least on the Republican side, leadership will get involved. Otherwise, they won’t have the votes.” Nadler said he expects unity from the Democrats, likely requiring less intervention from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) or her lieutenants... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Mon, May 7, 2012
by John Cox