Specter added as Dem to five committees

The Senate adopted by voice vote Tuesday evening a resolution adding
Sen. Arlen Specter as a Democrat to five committees, giving Democrats
an extra seat on Appropriations, Environment and Public Works,
Judiciary, Veterans’ Affairs and the Special Committee on Aging.

Republicans did not get any extra seats on those committees to make up for the loss of Specter. Sens. James Inhofe (Okla.), ranking Republican on Environment and Public Works, and Richard Burr (N.C.), the ranking Republican on Veterans’ Affairs, said last week that Republicans should pick up another member or Democrats should drop a member to keep the partisan ratios in balance.

{mosads}The Senate also adopted by voice vote a resolution setting committee assignments for Republicans. A copy of the resolution was not available at 8:30 p.m., after the Republican cloakroom closed.

A GOP aide confirmed that Republicans did not pick up seats on Specter’s five committees to compensate for his switch. The aide claimed victory insofar as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) persuaded Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) not to change the partisan ratios on all Senate committees because of Specter’s switch.

Reid also introduced and the Senate adopted a separate resolution
appointing Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to the Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions Committee. Whitehouse took a vacant spot on the
Democratic side of the dais that has presumably been held in reserve
for Democratic candidate Al Franken, who is still in the midst of a
recount battle in Minnesota with former Sen. Norm Coleman (R).

Whitehouse may give up the assignment when Franken is seated, but that
may be months away, as Republicans are threatening to take the
legal battle to federal court.