In Brief: Roukema Says She’ll Head Housing Panel

WASHINGTON — Rep. Marge Roukema, R-N.J., confirmed on Wednesday, that she will become the chairwoman of the housing subcommittee of the new House Financial Services Committee.

“I requested the housing subcommittee,” and committee Chairman Michael G. Oxley “said ‘yes,’ ” said Rep. Roukema, who had sought to head the full committee.

When rumors started circulating this month that she might lead the housing panel, Rep. Roukema said that she “would not accept the housing subcommittee,” and did not want “to serve as housing subcommittee chairman.”

But in an interview Wednesday, she said she changed her mind after learning that Republican term limits would not allow her another term as chairwoman of the financial institutions subcommittee, which she has led since 1995.

“If I could have worked out financial institutions, it would have been my preference,” she said.

Rep. Richard H. Baker, who had also sought the committee chairmanship, has reached his term limit as chairman of the former capital markets subcommittee. However, CongressDaily, a Capitol Hill newsletter, has reported that the Louisiana Republican is in line to head an expanded panel with jurisdiction over the capital markets, securities and insurance firms, and government-sponsored enterprises.

However, Capitol Hill sources said that the jurisdictional decisions have yet to be finalized.

Neither Rep. Baker’s nor Rep. Oxley’s offices would comment on specific subcommittee assignments or jurisdictions. A committee spokeswoman would only say that Rep. Oxley and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert are “working on” the subcommittee chairmanship assignments, and that there are a “couple of pieces” to be put in place.

CongressDaily also reported that Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., would be chairman of the financial institutions subcommittee; Rep. Sue Kelly, R-N.Y., would head the general oversight and investigations subcommittee; and the jurisdiction of the former domestic and international monetary policy subcommittee would be divided between Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who would head domestic monetary policy issues, and Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., who would handle international monetary policy.