La. has chance to regain influence

• By GERARD SHIELDS
• Advocate Washington bureau
• Published: Dec 1, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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WASHINGTON — Louisiana lost 41 years of congressional seniority this year but may be able to restore some political clout with new assignments for delegation members in the next Congress, political analysts and observers say.

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany appears to be a lock to get a seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which writes the nation’s tax laws.

U.S. Rep. Charles “Charlie” Melancon has already secured a leadership position with the Blue Dog coalition, a more conservative wing of House Democrats.

And U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu is expected to boost her cachet with two committee chairmanships, including the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

Boustany, R-Lafayette, who was elected in 2004, would replace U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery, R-Shreveport, on the committee. McCrery is retiring, choosing not to seek a 10th two-year term. Republican Dr. John Fleming, of Minden, and Democratic Caddo Parish District Attorney Paul Carmouche are vying to replace McCrery on Dec. 6.

Former U.S. Rep. Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, retired in February, taking 21 years of congressional experience with him. Baker was replaced briefly in Congress Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, who lost to state Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, in November’s election.

Boustany: Health, taxes
Boustany, a retired cardiovascular surgeon, could play a role in the debate on national health care, an issue that is expected to be a cornerstone of President-elect Barack Obama’s administration.

Other key issues for the tax-writing panel are trade and entitlement programs that include Medicare and Social Security. The committee will be wrestling with the scheduled expiration of the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts in 2010.

“It determines the tax code for the country,” said John Samples, director of representative government for the Cato Institute in Washington. “For his constituents, they will have some say in what tax breaks will be granted.”

Boustany isn’t taking capturing the committee seat for granted. He has started to campaign, distributing eight-page packets entitled “The Next Conservative Leader for the House Ways and Means Committee.” Boustany has sent the packets to members of the GOP steering committee, who will assign panel positions.

The packets contain Boustany’s positions on health care, global competitiveness and energy. He also points out that he is a Republican representing a longtime Democratic district, and that he holds considerable fund-raising acumen.

Boustany, who raised more than $1.4 million in his recent re-election bid, is taking over McCrery’s leadership political action committee, the Preservation of Capitalism, which has given millions of dollars to fellow GOP House members.

Boustany reminded GOP steering committee members that he has raised $783,500 for fellow Republicans since 2005. Such contributions traditionally boost a member’s committee assignment potential.