California Institute -- 11/12/96 Op-ed

CALIFORNIA'S PROSPECTS IN WASHINGTON

Tuesday, November 12, 1996

By Tim Ransdell

As the grand prize of the 1996 presidential contest -- possessing one fifth of the electoral college votes needed to win -- California was courted with the enthusiasm it demanded and deserved. But with the election already a faded memory, California now needs to answer that recurring question, "What next?"

Californians should be concerned not only that this Administration will no longer need the state's electoral votes to stay in power, but also that many of President Clinton's top-ranked Californians have headed for the door. Among these are White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Defense Secretary William Perry and Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor, and National Economic Council head Laura D'Andrea Tyson.

Even if the White House continues to view the state as something of a priority, our layer of "protective insulation" in the executive branch may soon be a thing of the past. Before now, opportunists from the other 49 states were forced to think long and hard about the Administration's views before launching any plan to siphon off some federal money or steal a plum project from the Golden State. With fewer top-level Californians in the Administration, opportunists will foresee fewer obstacles.

So what do we do? How do we keep California's needs appropriately respected in Washington? First off, California leaders need to clearly communicate their concerns about the top-level shifts at the White House. Californians should let the President know that, as replacements are considered and as other shuffling takes place, our state needs to be a factor in the mix. This Administration and its leader made many promises to our state during the drive to re-election. California expects follow-through.

Second, and at least equally importantly, it will fall to our congressional delegation to take up whatever slack may remain once the new cabinet is finalized. Our 52 House Members and two Senators will need to redouble their efforts to ensure California gets a fair shake in Washington. And, on the bright side, they will be better positioned to do so than ever before.

Once the last recounts are complete and Texas holds its three December 10 runoffs, there will be a House of Representatives unlike any in recent memory. The House of the 105th Congress will have the narrowest "margin of majority" -- the number of seats by which the Republicans will control the chamber -- in more than four decades. As few as a dozen members of Congress will be able to tip the balance of power from a party-line vote to their own position.

California, with its record 52 House seats, is uniquely positioned to control the game. Of course, other state delegations will be thinking the same thing. But none have the numbers that California does -- almost half again as many as runners-up New York and Texas.

When issues important to the state are at stake, California's House members will act and vote accordingly. The 104th Congress saw broad support for such varied issues as disaster relief funding, formula grant re-writes, water restoration, defense programs, scientific facility sitings, space funding, and transportation projects. When the state's bottom line is on the line, Californians can set aside their differences.

By most accounts, similar like-mindedness can be expected in the 105th Congress as well, on such critical California matters as FDA reform, research and development, base cleanup and re-use, disaster insurance, technology concerns, intellectual property protection, NASA projects, highway program revision, and many other areas. We have many key members on both sides of the aisle who are poised to make this a reality. With 47 of 52 California House members and both Senators returning next year, California's seniority clout will rise in the 105th Congress. On the Republican side, Speaker's Task Force leaders David Dreier, Jerry Lewis, Chris Cox and Wally Herger have a direct line to Speaker Gingrich. Bill Thomas wields influence as both a committee chair and a health panel head. Lewis and Ron Packard chair coveted appropriations subcommittees. Duncan Hunter heads a defense panel, and Duke Cunningham and Buck McKeon control education subcommittees. Elton Gallegly will remain a central figure in anti-crime policy and the ongoing immigration debate, and Steve Horn's subcommittee will play a key role in the upcoming sleeper battle over the 2000 census. And these are just a few.

On the Democratic side, California's top committee leaders will include Ron Dellums, George Miller, George Brown, Vic Fazio and perhaps Henry Waxman; and key subcommittees will have ranking Democrats in Julian Dixon, Fazio, Nancy Pelosi, Waxman, Howard Berman, Pete Stark, and Bob Matsui, among others.

With an eloquent and stalwart voice from our Congressional delegation, echoed by top-level Administration support for the state, the 105th Congress can be California's to dominate.

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Ransdell is the Executive Director of the California Institute for Federal Policy Research, a bipartisan, Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization, which advises the California congressional delegation on issues of economic concern to the state.