WASHINGTON -- A longtime Amtrak proponent and the former head of
the Transportation Department were among the winners in last week's
congressional elections, which shifted majority power in the Senate
from the Democrats to the Republicans.
The GOP, while maintaining control in the House, gained at least
two seats in the Senate, giving it a majority and, hence, control
of committee chairmanships.
Among the newly elected Senate Republicans was Elizabeth Dole, a
former Transportation and Labor Secretary. The wife of former
Senate majority leader Robert Dole will be North Carolina's new
junior senator.
On the Democratic side, Frank Lautenberg, who retired from the
Senate two years ago, will return after being elected as a
replacement for embattled Sen. Robert Torricelli, who withdrew his
candidacy a month before Election Day.
Lautenberg is a longtime proponent of Amtrak. Other Amtrak
proponents in the Northeast, including Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.)
and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) were re-elected.
In the House, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House
Aviation subcommittee, as well as fellow subcommittee members Rep.
James Oberstar (D-Minn.), Rep. William Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Rep.
Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) were re-elected.
Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.), chairman of the House Small Business
Committee, and ranking member Rep. Nydia Valazquez (D-N.Y.) also
were re-elected.
Among those defeated was Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.), a member of
the Senate Commerce Committee.
"On a personal basis and on an industry basis, we are very much
going to miss Sen. Cleland. He was a good ally" to the motorcoach
industry, said Peter Pantuso, president of the American Bus
Association.
The emergence of a clear Republican majority in both houses is
being welcomed by some lobbyists because it could end the frequent
logjams that develop along party lines.
John Connors, the American Hotel & Lodging Association's
executive vice president for public policy, said, "Some of the
legislative issues we've been interested in are being stalled in
the Senate," with terrorism insurance at the top of the list.
"Now with the elections decided, the agenda will move a little
bit more swiftly," Connors said. "Hopefully, it will break our way
on a couple of the issues we have been following."