Change Comes to Committee on Energy and Commerce

"Besides seating a committed environmentalist as head of the energy committee, the vote also removes one of the auto industry’s best friends from a key leadership post — further evidence of how much power the American car-makers, whose executives have been pleading for federal money, have lost in Congress.

The vote on Thursday morning reportedly surprised some Dingell supporters, who had expected Mr. Dingell to prevail despite Wednesday’s 25-to-22 vote by the Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee in favor of Mr. Waxman’s challenge.

Mr. Dingell has been the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce committee since 1981 and has been in Congress since 1955, having won his seat in a special election after his father died in office. In February, Mr. Dingell will become the longest-serving member in the history of the House."