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Oregons Smith to Chair Senate Aging
Committee
Four new members added to committee
 Dec. 21, 2004 Sen. Gordon Smith, Oregon Republican, was named today to
chair the Senate Special Committee on Aging in the next Congress. The
appointment, which must be confirmed by the Republican caucus, was made
by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who also named the other members
of the committee.
Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig, the current
chairman, announced earlier that he had decided to step down as chairman
of the Special Committee on Aging and seek chairmanship of the Veterans
Affairs Committee. He was reappointed to the aging committee.
Four new senators will join the committee,
including newly elected Mel Martinez of Florida and Jim DeMint of South
Carolina. Other new members are Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, and Conrad
Burns, Montana.
Below are the current Republican members with their
committee change.
Larry Craig, Idaho
reappointed as member
Richard Shelby, Alabama -
reappointed
Mike Enzi, Wyoming - leaving
Susan Collins, Maine - reappointed
Gordon Smith, Oregon new chairman
James M. Talent, Missouri -
reappointed
Peter Fitzgerald, Illinois -
leaving
Orrin Hatch, Utah - leaving
Elizabeth Dole, North Carolina -
reappointed
Ted Stevens, Alaska - leaving
Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania -
reappointed
"From health care to pensions, the issues facing seniors today will only
increase as the baby boom generation retires in greater numbers,''
Smith, said in a statement. "With strengthening Social Security at the
top of the President's agenda, the Aging Committee will play a major
role in looking out for the best interest of older Americans.''
Sen. Smith also serves on the Senate Finance
Committee, as well as Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Energy and
Natural Resources; and Indian Affairs.
Biography of Sen. Smith
http://gsmith.senate.gov/bio.htm
After being sworn in to the United States Senate on
January 7, 1997, Gordon Smith has quickly earned a reputation as a
statesman with an independent streak. Senate leaders have recognized
Senator Smith's abilities and have continually asked him to serve in key
leadership and committee positions. He has also become known for his
ability to cross party lines in the interests of his constituents.
Smith serves on five major Senate committees:
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources,
Rules, Indian Affairs, and the powerful Finance Committee. He also
serves on the Special Committee on Aging. In addition, he is a member of
the Senate Western Water and Rural Health Caucuses as well as the High
Tech Task Force. Smith is also co-chairman of the Senate Task Force on
Medicare and Prescription Drugs and has been selected by leadership
three times to be a Deputy Whip, a position that he currently holds.
Since coming to the Senate, Smith has focused on
issues crucial to the future health and prosperity of Oregonians. Smith
believes that every child deserves a quality education and has been a
consistent supporter of programs that increase funds for students. He
has also made solving Oregon's dropout problem one of his primary goals
and has introduced legislation to create a pilot program that will hire
guidance counselors to work with students at risk of dropping out.
Senator Smith is also committed to improving access to healthcare. To
accomplish this Smith has sponsored a number of initiatives that will
increase flexibility for state programs like the Oregon Health Plan. He
has also introduced a bill that will alleviate the nursing shortage by
authorizing $40 million in grants for health care facilities to develop
innovative nursing programs. Smith continues to push for federal funds
that will help to meet the basic health care needs of the uninsured.
Senator Smith is also actively engaged in the many
natural resource issues affecting the state and is recognized as an
advocate for protecting Oregon's natural resources and the working
families who depend on them for their livelihoods. Oregon has a long
history of innovation in environmental policy that Smith continues to
build upon. He has been working to strengthen and improve important
policies such as the Oregon Forest Practices Act, the Beach Bill, the
Oregon Plan for Salmon and the Oregon Resources Protections Act. He has
also played a pivotal role in passing legislation that will protect
Steens Mountain and Portland's Bull Run watershed for generations to
come. Smith believes that Oregon's legacy of good stewardship and
consensus-based decision making should be applied to many of the
environmental issues under consideration by Congress.
Smith's foray into politics began in 1992, when he
was elected to the Oregon State Senate. His colleagues recognized his
leadership abilities by electing him Minority Leader, and then President
of the State Senate during his first term in office. Upon his election
to the United States Senate, Smith became the first U.S. Senator from
eastern Oregon since 1938.
Born on May 25, 1952 in Pendleton, Oregon, Gordon
Smith Graduated from Brigham Young University in 1976, and earned a law
degree from Southwestern University in 1979. After working as an
attorney in private practice, Smith assumed management of his family's
frozen vegetable processing company, a position he held until his
election to the U.S. Senate. Senator Smith and his wife Sharon have
raised three children, Brittany, Garrett, and Morgan. They maintain
homes in Pendleton and in Bethesda, Maryland.
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Previous Story on Democrat Changes at
Aging Committee |
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Senate Aging Committee Gets New Democrat Leader,
Kolh, and New Members Clinton and Nelson
 |
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Sen. Clinton |
Sen. Kohl |
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Dec. 7, 2004 The U.S. Special Committee on Aging is
certain to have a new look in the next Congress as Democrat Senate Leader
Harry Reid, Nevada, is appointing a new ranking member for the Democrats,
Sen. Herb Kohl, Wisconsin, and adding new members Sen. Hillary Clinton, New
York, and Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida.
More... 12/07/04*
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About the Committee (from Website
http://aging.senate.gov/
The
Senate Special Committee on Aging was first established in 1961 as a
temporary committee. It was granted permanent status on February 1,
1977. While special committees have no legislative authority, they can
study issues, conduct oversight of programs, and investigate reports of
fraud and waste.
Throughout its existence, the Special Committee on Aging has served as a
focal point in the Senate for discussion and debate on matters relating
to older Americans. Often, the Committee will submit its findings and
recommendations for legislation to the Senate. In addition, the
Committee publishes materials of assistance to those interested in
public policies which relate to the elderly.
The Committee has a long and influential history. It has called the
Congress' and the nation's attention to many problems affecting older
Americans. The Committee was exploring health insurance coverage of
older Americans prior to the enactment of Medicare in 1965.
Since the passage of that legislation, the Committee has continually
reviewed Medicare's performance on an almost annual basis. The Committee
has also regularly reviewed pension coverage and employment
opportunities for older Americans. It has conducted oversight of the
administration of major programs like Social Security and the Older
Americans Act. Finally, it has crusaded against frauds targeting the
elderly and Federal programs on which the elderly depend.
Chairmen of the Special Committee on Aging have established an
impressive tradition -- a tradition current Chairman Larry Craig (R-Idaho)continues.
Senator Frank Moss (D-Utah) brought to light unacceptable conditions in
nursing homes. Senator Frank Church (D-Idaho) worked on adding more
protections for seniors in the area of age discrimination. Senator John
Heinz (R-Pennsylvania) reviewed Medicare's Prospective Payment System to
see whether it was true the system was forcing Medicare beneficiaries to
be discharged "quicker and sicker."
When the statute of limitations for age discrimination in employment
claims had lapsed, Senator John Melcher (D-Montana) worked to restore
the rights to America's older individuals. Senator David Pryor
(D-Arkansas) investigated the pricing practices for prescription drugs
and his efforts helped change the pricing behavior of pharmaceutical
companies. Senator Bill Cohen (R-Maine) led the way to enactment of
strong health care anti-fraud legislation. Under Senator Chuck Grassley
(R-Iowa) the committee investigated abuses in the funeral home industry.
Most recently, Sen. John Breaux (D-Louisiana) focused the committee's
work on long-term care.
Over the years, the Committee has been in the thick of the debate on
issues of central concern to older Americans. That tradition will
continue under Senator Larry Craig who is determined to bring bold new
thinking to the issues of aging -- be it adding prescription drug
coverage to Medicare, strengthening Social Security or examining other
areas of concern for senior citizens.
As the baby boom generation begins to retire en mass, the work of the
Special Committee on Aging has only just begun.
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