Chat with Chic, January 16, 1985

Chat with Chic A Report from Washington 1/16/85 U.S. Senator Chic Hecht Although ways of reducing the federal deficit undoubtedly will take top priority in the 99th Congress, the Senate also is certain to focus attention on possible major changes in Senate committee structure and procedure. The idea is to streamline the Senate and make it more responsive and efficient. The Senate Rules and Administration committee begins hearings this month on a package of committee reforms proposed by a temporary study group. The Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee Sys-tem has recommended a number of proposals including limiting senators to assignments on two major and one minor committees; limiting the total number of slots available on those committees and reducing the number of subcommittees. The package of proposed reforms was primarily the work of my coll-eague from Indiana, Sen. Dan Quayle, after hearings and numerous meet-ings with other members of his committee last year. Other key features of his plan include limiting the total number of seats available on the 12 major "A" committees to 100 and imposing a limit of no more than five subcommittees on all committees except Appro-priations, which will be allowed to retain its 13 subcommittees. Although I've been appointed to the Senate Select Committee on In- (more) page 2, Chat with Chic intelligence, most committee assignments will not be made by Leader Bob Dole until after action occurs on the Quale committee recommendations. While the Quale committee focuses on reforms in the committee struc-ture, a number of other reform proposals have already been introduced that would deal with operating procedures of the Senate. Sen. Robert Byrd, minority leader, has introduced eight separate resolutions covering a number of areas, ranging from providing electronic voting in the Senate to prohibiting polling of absent committee members as an official vote on measures before the committee. Other proposed changes include limiting legislative appropriations to general appropriations bills; limiting time of debate on motions to proceed; a provision to provide for relevancy or germaneness of amend-ments; and changes in cloture procedures. Another proposal would auth-orize TV and radio coverage of Senate proceedings. Traditionally the Senate always has been slow to change. Most Senate offices now rely on computers to gather information and pass it on to constituents. Many of the proposed changes should continue to help stream-line Capitol Hill and hopefully will make the Congress more efficient in the future.