Posted on 11/21/2010 12:23:26 PM PST by jazusamo
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), who hopes to chair the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, does not believe incoming freshman Republicans are keen on granting Upton’s main rival a term-limit waiver that he’s seeking.
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the panel’s senior Republican, is a seeking a waiver from GOP caucus rules that prevent members from serving more than three terms (which is six years) atop a committee.
“Within the caucus, we have to decide whether or not six years is six years” Upton said in an interview broadcast Sunday on Platts Energy Week. “It seems as though the freshmen members coming in, almost to a person, are saying ‘you know what, we are not changing the rules literally the first day we are here.’”
Reps. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) and Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) are also seeking the Energy and Commerce gavel if Barton is denied a waiver.
Barton served one term as chairman before Democrats reclaimed the House in the 2006 elections, and has been the ranking Republican on the panel since then.
He contends that the House GOP rules are ambiguous and should not bar him from another stint as chairman when Republicans take over next year.
Republican Co-Author of Incandescent-Bulb Ban Seeks Chair of House Energy Committee (Upton)
I am for Joe Barton. I know him and he is a good man.
I agree and believe he should get the waiver.
GOP caucus “rules” are meaningless to me. If not letting a damned communist that banned the lightbulb means we break a rule, then we break a rule.
The only set of rules i care about is the constitution. Upton broke that one with the lightbulb ban. Where in heavens name does that document give him the authority to do such things. We are not a centrally planned economy.
HELL NO to UPTON!!! HELL NO!! He’s an IDIOT!
BUMP!
It appears Upton’s banning of the lightbulb and the attendant loss of jobs may have been a life changing event.
Upton is a RINO. Exactly what we do not need in a leadership position.
Totally agree...Upton showed his true colors coauthoring a bill to take away our rights.
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