Dodd Will Not Replace Kennedy As Senate HELP Committee Chair

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 10 Sep 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) on Wednesday is expected to announce that he will not replace Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, The Hill reports. Kennedy died last month of brain cancer (Brush et al., The Hill, 9/8).

Dodd -- who was the second most senior Democrat on the panel after Kennedy -- led the HELP Committee discussions on its health reform bill while Kennedy was in treatment. Dodd is expected to retain his position as chair of the Senate Banking Committee, sources said (Boles, Wall Street Journal, 9/8).

According to the Washington Post, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) would be the next in line after Dodd to replace Kennedy. The Post reports that multiple sources have indicated that Harkin will accept the position (Kane, Washington Post, 9/9).

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