Political#notes: Vento Heads Minority on Key Subcommittee

Minnesota Rep. Bruce Vento was elected the ranking Democrat on the House Banking subcommittee on financial institutions, the panel that deals with mainstream banking legislation.

As the ranking minority member, Rep. Vento is Democratic leader of the subcommittee, which is headed by Republican Marge Roukema of New Jersey.

Also elected to ranking spots by the Democratic caucus were Joseph P. Kennedy 2d of Massachusetts, for the subcommittee on housing and consumer opportunity, and Pennsylvania's Paul E. Kanjorski, for the subcommittee on capital markets, securities, and government sponsored enterprises.

The second-ranking Democrat on the housing subcommittee is Henry B. Gonzalez of Texas, who was chairman of both that panel and the full banking committee in the last Congress.

Rounding out the Democratic leadership posts are Floyd H. Flake of New York, with the subcommittee on domestic and international monetary policy and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, with the panel on general oversight and investigations.

Although the minority party has no real political power on its own, it can be influential when the majority party is divided. In addition, since Democrats control the White House, the administration will look to that party's leaders for help in advancing its own programs.

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