The New Congress

By Dennis J. Wamsted

The Gulf Crisis

Normally, the 102nd Congress would officially convene on Jan. 3, and then recess until President Bush's State-of-the-Union address later in the month. But given the uncertain situation in the Persian Gulf, particularly with the looming Jan. 15 UN deadline for Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait, Congress may remain in session this month. In fact, proposals surfaced on Capitol Hill last month for a full debate of the Gulf crisis immediately following the convening of the 102nd Congress.

In many respects, the debate actually began last month, as four committees held hearings on the Iraq crisis. The most comprehensive hearings were organized by the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), one of the most influential Democrats in the Senate. Nunn used the lengthy hearings to make the case that the administration had not given the international sanctions imposed on Iraq enough time to be effective. (See "What They Said" on page 61 of this issue for excerpts of testimony before this committee.)

Other hearings were convened by the Senate Foreign Relations and the House Armed Services Committees, and the House Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee.

Special Session

For a time last month there was even talk of calling a special session of Congress to discuss the Gulf crisis, particularly following the UN Security Council's 12-2 vote backing the use of force against Iraq. Among those supporting this idea, albeit for differing reasons, were Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole (R-KS), Sen. Richard Lugar (RIN), ranking minority member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), a critic of the administration's Gulf policy.

Dole and Lugar argued that a special session of Congress was needed to consider, and adopt, a measure similar to the UN resolution backing the use of force against Iraq. On the other hand, Kennedy backed the special session as a means of showing Democratic dissatisfaction with the administration's policy. Notwithstanding this high-powered support, the idea quickly fizzled.

The Leadership

The leadership that will guide the new Congress through this crisis and, in all likelihood, for the coming two years, is essentially unchanged from the last Congress. Sen. George Mitchell (D-ME) and Rep. Thomas Foley (D-WA) have been reelected as Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of the House, respectively. Similarly, Dole and Rep. Robert Michel (R-IL) have again been tapped to lead the Republicans in the Senate and House, respectively.

The only notable change in the leadership of the two chambers occurred in the Senate, where Sen. Alan Cranston (D-CA) relinquished his post as Majority Whip, the second ranking position in the Democratic hierarchy. Cranston, one of the Senate's most outspoken supporters of Israel, has been replaced by Sen. Wendell Ford (DKY), who is now serving his third term in the Senate.

The Committees

Given the startlingly large number of incumbents who won re-election in 1990, it is not surprising that relatively few changes have occurred in the committees that play a role in US Middle Eastern policy. During their December organizational meetings, House Democrats re-elected Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Dante Fascell (D-FL) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Jamie Whitten (D-MS) by wide margins. Senate Democrats had not yet officially named their chairmen for the new Congress, but challenges are not expected for either Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) or Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI).

Two of the most important changes affecting US Middle East policy are:

Rep. Larry Smith (D-FL), perhaps the most outspoken supporter of Israel in the House of Representatives and an influential member on the House Foreign Affairs Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee, has won a coveted spot on the Appropriations Committee. According to House rules, Smith, who is now in his fifth term, will have to forfeit his seat on the Foreign Affairs panel to serve on Appropriations.
The defeat of Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (RMN). Boschwitz, another crucial supporter of Israel, had been the ranking minority member on the Senate Foreign Relations Near Eastern and South Asian Subcommittee. His subcommittee position has not yet been filled, but it may be taken by Sen. Connie Mack (R-FL), another strong backer of Israel and the only Republican member on the full committee during the 101st Congress who did not serve as the ranking minority on any subcommittee.

The Agenda

Beyond their need to debate US policy toward Iraq, Congress will also soon be forced to tackle a number of other thorny Middle East policy issues. For example, aid levels for Israel and Egypt, as well as the second part of an already announced multibillion-dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia, are high on the list of issues certain to arise early this year. Campaign finance reform, an other issue with critically important ramifications for US Middle East policy, is also likely to resurface in 1991, particularly since it is strongly supported by Senate Majority Leader Mitchell.

Dennis Wamsted is a free-lance writer specializing in Middle East affairs and the US Congress.