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Four GOP Freshmen Join House Rules

By Anna Palmer
Posted January 4, 2011 at 4:28pm

Updated: 7:53 p.m.

Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio) appointed four incoming GOP freshmen to the House Rules Committee on Tuesday.

The inclusion of Reps.-elect Rich Nugent (Fla.), Tim Scott (S.C.), Daniel Webster (Fla.) and Rob Woodall (Ga.) reflects the reform focus of the 112th Congress, incoming Rules Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) said in a statement.

“The new Republican members of the House Rules Committee will bring to the Committee the spirit of reform and accountability that the American people demand and expect from the House of Representatives,” Dreier said. “Working together, the new and returning members of the Rules Committee will maintain the commitment to transparency and accountability that will be the hallmark of the 112th Congress.”

It’s not unusual for the majority party to stack Rules with freshmen. Then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) named four Democratic freshmen to the panel in 2007 when the party took control of the chamber, and Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.) joined the panel as freshmen in the 111th Congress.

In addition to Dreier, Republican Reps. Pete Sessions (Texas) and Virginia Foxx (N.C.) will remain on the panel. Two open GOP slots are expected to be filled in the near future, committee spokeswoman Jo Maney said.

Democrats filled out their Rules roster in a Caucus meeting Tuesday. Ranking member Louise Slaughter (N.Y.) and Polis will return to the panel, and Reps. Alcee Hastings (Fla.) and Jim McGovern (Mass.) will join them, according to a Democratic aide.

Kathleen Hunter contributed to this article.

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