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<br />WESTERN <br />~WEEKLY~~~~~~~~~~mRCO~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />n". , <br />uJLJ j" <br /> <br /> <br />Creekview Plaza, Suite A-201 /942 East 7145 So. / Midvale, Utah 84047 / (801) 561-5300 / FAX (801) 255-9642 <br /> <br />editor - Tony Willardson <br />typist - carrie curvin <br /> <br />CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE <br /> <br />Committee Changes - House <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The House Interior Committee has been <br />reorganized by Chairman George Miller (D-CA), and <br />will now be called the House Natural Resources <br />Committee. Rep. Don Young (R-AK) remains as the <br />ranking minority member. The new Committee will <br />have 43 members. Fifteen are new, and twelve are <br />freshmen. Further, the number of subcommittees has <br />been reduced from six to five. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The Water and Power SlIhcommittee has been <br />eliminated. Its duties will be assumed by a new <br />Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee chaired by <br />Miller with jurisdiction over water, the Bureau of <br />. ReclamatiQ..n, e ederal power marketing <br />administrations, and Alaska public lands, including the <br />Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Rep. Bob Smith (R- <br />OR) is the new ranking minority member on the <br />subcommittee. A new Native American Affairs <br />subcommittee has been created, chaired by Rep. Bill <br />Richardson (D-NM), with Rep. Craig Thomas (R-WY) <br />as the ranking minority member. The new Energy and <br />Mineral Resources Subcommittee will be chaired by <br />Rep. Richard Lehman (D-CA). Rep. Barbara <br />Vucanovich (R-NV) is the ranking Republican. The <br />subcommittee will have jurisdiction over hard rock <br />mining, coal mining, mineral leasing, offshore oil and <br />gas development, nuclear power and nuclear waste <br />regulation. The National Parks, Forests and Public <br />Lands Subcommittee will have jurisdiction over federal <br />lands under the National Parks Service, U.S. Forest <br />Service, and Bureau of Land Management, reserved <br />water rights, conservation areas, urban parks, non- <br />federal recreation and land use, and some historic <br />preservation issues. Rep. Bruce Vento (D-MN) <br />remains as chair, with Rep. Jim Hansen (R-Ui) as the <br /> <br />chairman - Dave Kennedy <br /> <br />executive director - Craig Bell <br /> <br />new ranking minority member. Virgin Islands delegate <br />Ron de Lugo (D) continues to chair the Insular and <br />International Affairs Subcommittee, with Rep. Eiton <br />Gallegly (R-CA) as the top Republican member. <br /> <br />The House Public Works Committee has also <br />changed substantially. Of its 63 members, 28 are <br />freshmen. Rep. Norman Mineta (D-CA) is the new <br />chair (see WSW #972), with Rep. Bud Shuster (PA) as <br />the ranking Republican. During the 103rd Congress, <br />the committee will address the superfund law, the <br />Clean Water Act and wetlands issues, and an <br />infrastructure bill that isa high priority with President <br />Clinton. Of note, Chairman Mineta cosponsored a <br />wetlands bill in the last session and committee <br />member Rep. Jim Hayes (D-LA) plans to reintroduce <br />wetlands legisiation in this session. Interest in such <br />legislation is expected to be high. A new Water <br />Resources and Environment Subcommittee will be <br />chaired by Rep. Douglas Applegate (D-OH), with Rep. <br />Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) as the ranking minority <br />member. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) will chair the <br />Surface Transportation Subcommittee. <br /> <br />The House Merchant Marine and Fisheries <br />Committee will be chaired by Rep. Gerry Studds (0- <br />MA). Studds has been acting as chair since the death <br />of Rep. Walter Jones (D-NC). The ranking minority <br />member is Rep. Jack Fields (R-TX). Studds has split <br />his old subcommittee into two -- one on Fisheries <br />Management and the other on Environment and <br />Natural Resources. Studds will continue to chair the <br />latter, which will address coastal pollution, wetlands <br />programs, and reauthorization of the Endangered <br />Species Act. Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) is the new <br />chair of the Oceanography Subcommittee, which will <br />review Interior's offshore oil and gas leasing program. <br />All six democrats on the panel are from either Texas or <br />California. <br />