Senate Begins Reorganization

The Senate began its post-election reorganization Tuesday, reelecting party leaders and assigning lawmakers to committees.

As expected, Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) was reelected without opposition, as were Majority Whip Don Nickles (Okla.), Republican Conference Chairman Connie Mack (Fla.), Conference Secretary Paul Coverdell (Ga.) and Policy Committee Chairman Larry Craig (Idaho). Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) easily overcame criticism about the party’s failure to pick up additional Senate seats in last month’s election to win reelection as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Senate Democrats did not have any contested races. Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.) will remain the Democrat’s top spokesperson, while Sen. Harry M. Reid (Nev.) replaced the retiring Sen. Wendell H. Ford (Ky.) as Whip. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (Md.) was reelected conference secretary and Sen. Robert Torricelli (N.J.) will succeed Sen. Bob Kerrey (Neb.) as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

While American Trucking Associations has close ties to Mr. Lott through Senior Vice President Jim Whittinghill, a former aide to the lawmaker, some trucking lobbyists are concerned about Mr. Reid’s new clout as a member of the Senate leadership. As minority whip, Mr. Reid helps set the Senate agenda, including what bills are considered and the length of debate.

Trucking opposed Mr. Reid’s reelection to the Senate this year because of his attempts to ban triple trailer trucks. Mr. Reid dropped his proposal last spring, saying he did not have sufficient votes.

"I don’t know how he will react," said Daryl Capurro, managing director of the Nevada Motor Transport Association. "I have a feeling he still thinks that longer combination vehicles are a safety problem."

For the full story, see the Dec. 7 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.