American Banker's Washington Directory (Part 2)

House Committees HOUSE BANKING COMMITTEE 2129 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 202-225-2771 In brief: The committee underwent a major face lift after Republicans took over. Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa, the new chairman, may be a liberal within the Republican Party, but he is a raging moderate compared to former chairman Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Tex. Even more remarkable than the new leadership is the bumper crop of freshmen that wound up on the panel. While Rep. Ken Bentsen of Texas is the lone newcomer on the Democratic side, Republicans seated 17 new members. With so many rookies, lobbyists are still trying to figure out how the votes line up. Lobbyists assume the panel is more conservative, and more sympathetic to regulatory relief and free market ideas. How it will break down in the traditional turf battles among the banking, securities, and insurance industries is far from clear. Majority members: Jim Leach, Iowa (chairman) Bill McCollum, Fla. Marge Roukema, N.J. Doug Bereuter, Neb. Toby Roth, Wis. Richard H. Baker, La. Rick Lazio, N.Y. Spencer Bachus, Ala. Michael Castle, Del. Peter King, N.Y. Edward Royce, Calif. Frank D. Lucas, Okla. Jerry Weller, Ill. J.D. Hayworth, Ariz. Jack Metcalf, Wash. Sonny Bono, Calif. Bob Ney, Ohio Robert L. Ehrlich, Md. Bob Barr, Ga. Dick Chrysler, Mich. Frank A. Cremeans, Ohio Jon D. Fox, Pa. Fred Heineman, N.C. Steve Stockman, Tex. Frank A. LoBiondo, N.J. J.C. Watts, Okla. Sue W. Kelly, N.Y. Minority members: Henry B. Gonzalez, Tex. (ranking) John J. LaFalce, N.Y. Bruce F. Vento, Minn. Charles E. Schumer, N.Y. Barney Frank, Mass. Paul E. Kanjorski, Pa. Joseph P. Kennedy 2d, Mass. Floyd H. Flake, N.Y. Kweisi Mfume, Md. Maxine Waters, Calif. William H. Orton, Utah Carolyn B. Maloney, N.Y. Luis V. Gutierrez, Ill. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Calif. Thomas M. Barrett, Wis. Nydia M. Velazquez, N.Y. Albert R. Wynn, Md. Cleo Fields, La. Melvin Watt, N.C. Maurice Hinchey, N.Y. Gary L. Ackerman, N.Y. Ken Bentsen, Tex. Independent Bernard Sanders, Vt. Majority staff: 225-2258 Tony Cole, staff director 255-6576 Joe Ventrone, deputy staff director 225-6634 Joe Seidel, general counsel 225-2258 Minority staff: 225-4247 Kelsay Meek, staff director 225-4247 Armando Falcon, general counsel 225-3236 Amy Friend, counsel subcommittees: Capital markets, securities, and government sponsored enterprises Rep. Richard H. Baker, R-La., chairman Greg Wierzynski, assistant majority staff director 202-225-6634 Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Pa., ranking Democrat Domestic and international monetary policy Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., chairman James McCormick, assistant majority staff director 202-225-6634 Rep. Floyd H. Flake, D-N.Y., ranking Democrat Financial institutions and consumer credit Rep. Marge Roukema, R-N.J., chairwoman Laurie Schafer, assistant majority staff director 202-225-2258 Rep. Bruce Vento, D-Minn., ranking Democrat General oversight and investigations Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., chairman Jack Sharman, assistant majority staff director 202-226-3280 Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., ranking Democrat Housing and community opportunity Rep. Rick Lazio, R-N.Y., chairman Joseph Ventrone, assistant majority staff director 202-225-6634 Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy 2d, D-Mass., ranking Democrat Nancy Libson, minority staff assistant 202-225-7054 HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE 2125 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 202-225-2927 In brief: This panel, previously known as the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has stood solidly in the way of almost every effort to expand bank securities and insurance powers. Although the panel's leadership has changed, its feelings about bank powers appear to have remained stubbornly the same. That became clear when Chairman Thomas Bliley, R-Va., introduced legislation - cosponsored by his predecessor, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich. - that would give states the right to bar national banks from selling insurance. The committee retains jurisdiction over the securities and insurance industries, and its subcommittee on telecommunications and finance is the key panel for the financial services industry. Also important is the oversight subcommittee, a panel that former chairman Dingell frequently used to explore banking issues. The panel has adopted a unified staff structure so that all aides work for the parent committee rather than for subcommittees. The listing below notes aides who deal with issues related to subcommittee work. Rep. Thomas J. Bliley, R-Va. (chairman) James Derderian, staff director, 225-9297 Steve Blumenthal, securities issues, 226-2424 Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Mich. (ranking minority member) Alan Roth, minority staff director, 225-3641 Consuela Washington, securities issues, 225-3641 Subcommittee on telecommunications and finance Rep. Jack Fields, R-Tex., chairman Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., ranking Democrat HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE Room H-312 Capitol Washington, D.C. 202-225-9191 In brief: With 435 members, the House couldn't operate without rules. And no body is more powerful in the House than the committee that makes up the rules. The panel serves as gatekeeper to the House floor, deciding which bills will be brought up, which amendments will be allowed to come to a vote and in what order, and at times even rewriting bills before they are presented to members for votes. It was the Rules Committee that bottled up interstate banking legislation in the mid-1980s, and it was Rules that summarily dismissed a 1991 banking committee bill to repeal Glass-Steagall and end the Bank Holding Company Act's ownership restrictions. Members usually serve a few terms on other panels before moving up to this leadership committee, and they tend to stay with their area of expertise once they have joined it. Rep. Joseph Moakley, chairman while Democrats controlled the House, once served on the banking committee and took a special interest in many banking issues. Rep. David Dreier plays the same role for the Republicans and could be the key member for banking interests now that the GOP controls the House. Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y. (chairman) Don Wolfensberger, staff director, 225-9191 Rep. Joe Moakley, D-Mass. (ranking Democrat) George Crawford, minority staff director, 225-9486

*** Senate committees SENATE BANKING COMMITTEE 534 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 202-224-7391 In brief: Unlike its House counterpart, the Senate Banking Committee retained largely the same membership after last fall's election. However, the chairmanship went to the Republicans, and Sen. Alfonse M. D'Amato is light-years different from his predecessor, Sen. Donald Riegle, in terms of both style and substance. Although Sen. D'Amato has always been considered close to the securities industry (a trait he shared with Sen. Riegle), he is considered much more pro-business than his Democratic predecessor. While bankers may remember him best for his nearly successful attempt to cap credit card interest rates, Sen. D'Amato has appeared in recent years to go out of his way to accommodate the banking industry. Majority members: Alfonse M. D'Amato, N.Y. (chairman) Phil Gramm, Tex. Richard C. Shelby, Ala. Christopher S. Bond, Mo. Connie Mack, Fla. Lauch Faircloth, N.C. Robert F. Bennett, Utah Rod Grams, Minn. Bill Frist, Tenn. Minority members: Paul S. Sarbanes, Md. (ranking) Christopher J. Dodd, Conn. John F. Kerry, Mass. Richard H. Bryan, Nev. Barbara Boxer, Calif. Carol Moseley-Braun, Ill. Patty Murray, Wash. Staff: Howard Menell, majority staff director 202-224-6542 Phil Bechtel, deputy majority staff director 202-224-7391 Robert J. Giuffra, chief counsel Subcommittees: Financial institutions and regulatory relief Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., chairman Sen. Richard H. Bryan, D-Nev., ranking Democrat Housing opportunity and community development Sen. Connie Mack, R-Fla., chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., ranking Democrat HUD oversight and structure Sen. Lauch Faircloth, R-N.C., chairman Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun, D-Ill., ranking Democrat International finance Sen. Christopher S. Bond, R-Mo., chairman Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., ranking Democrat Securities Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Tex., chairman Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., ranking Democrat