For Dems, Dingell Showdown Is Agony

Committee likely to get more aggressive on environment; Dingell's old allies displaced

(NEWSER) - Henry Waxman ascension to the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee could pit him against both Republicans and fellow Democrats, Politico reports. Moderate former chair John Dingell, ousted by the liberal Waxman, left many subcommittee heads who could clash with their new boss. And the GOP is up in arms, saying Dems have been “pulled leftward by radical special interests.” More»

Waxman aims to bump Dingell out of key chairmanship

(NEWSER) - Tuesday's votes were still being counted when House Democrats started wrangling over leadership positions, Politico reports. Henry Waxman has launched a challenge for chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee, aiming to take out John Dingell of Michigan, whose support is eroding. Says a lobbyist: "He has done nothing on energy because he is in the pockets of the auto companies, and that hurt us this year." More»

Dems also agree on $100B trim: Waxman

(NEWSER) - The House will not vote on a health care bill before the August recess, the Hill reports. Rep. Henry Waxman agreed to the delay as part of a deal with “Blue Dog” Democrats on his Energy and Commerce Committee, who had been threatening to block the bill. Waxman now expects the committee to finish marking up the bill by Friday. More»

(NEWSER) - America’s health care system is riddled with so much fraud that eliminating it would pay for universal coverage, but Congress doesn’t seem to care, writes Newt Gingrich in the Washington Examiner. He singles out as his particular villain Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Waxman, he charges, hasn’t held a single hearing to look into Medicaid fraud, even though the GAO says $32.7 billion worth of Medicaid payments were improper in 2007. More»

But House Democrat reportedly 'feeling much better now'

(AP) - A powerful House committee chairman with a central role in President Obama's global warming and health care legislation has been hospitalized. Democrat Henry Waxman was not feeling well yesterday and was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in his native Los Angeles for "routine testing," a spokeswoman said today. More»