Senator Lincoln Chafee may take over Foreign Relations Subcommittee that oversees Peace Corps



Senator Lincoln Chafee may take over Foreign Relations Subcommittee that oversees Peace Corps

Senate whip-snapper

At the United Nations, they don't have a lot of nice things to say about Minnesota Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs investigations subcommittee, the first-term senator who called for Kofi Annan's resignation because of the U.N. official's role in the oil-for-food program in Iraq.

But they might have to start sweet talking soon enough.

Mr. Coleman is tapped by insiders as likely to take over the international economic policy, export and trade promotion subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a perch that would give him direct oversight of U.N. affairs for the Senate.

"Aw, wouldn't that be fun," said an aide in the senator's office when asked about the possibility. He indicated that the thought had never crossed the senator's mind or that of anyone else in the office.

But people who watch the complex calculus of subcommittee assignments say Mr. Coleman is something of an odds-on favorite for the post.

Subcommittee assignments are awarded through a mix of seniority and interest. If, as appears likely, the more senior senators on the Foreign Relations Committee snatch up the Western Hemisphere, European and the newly popular Near Eastern and South Asia portfolios, Mr. Coleman will have a clear shot at the international policy subcommittee, most recently chaired by Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

"Oh, you know he wants it," one insider giggled. "Of course, he does."

That feeling is echoed, with varying degrees of restraint, by others on Capitol Hill.



"If Lincoln Chafee gets bumped from [Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs], he'll likely take [Western Hemisphere]," said one source, referring to Mr. Coleman's current subcommittee assignment, which focuses on Latin America.

Last week, Mr. Coleman tried to travel with a delegation through the tsunami-hit areas of South Asia, but ended up in Iraq. The trip was arranged long before the disaster, and logistics have been troublesome.

Although some subcommittee assignments already have been announced, Hill sources say they don't expect the Foreign Relations Committee assignments to be sorted out until later this month.

And speaking of the oil-for-food scandal, the U.N. inquiry will issue dozens of internal audits related to the program, starting today. An initial finding will be released later this month, according to former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, who heads the probe.

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

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January 8, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Zambia RPCV Karla Berg interviews 1,374 people on Peace 7 Jan Breaking Taboo, Mandela Says Son Died of AIDS 6 Jan Dreadlocked PCV raises eyebrows in Africa 6 Jan RPCV Jose Ravano directs CARE's efforts in Sri Lanka 6 Jan Persuading Retiring Baby Boomers to Volunteer 6 Jan Inventor of "Drown Proofing" retires 6 Jan NPCA Membership approves Board Changes 5 Jan Timothy Shriver announces "Rebuild Hope Fund" 5 Jan More Water Bottles, Fewer Bullets 4 Jan Poland RPCV Rebecca Parker runs Solterra Books 2 Jan Peace Corps Fund plans event for September 30 Dec RPCV Carmen Bailey recounts bout with cerebral malaria 28 Dec more top stories...

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Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

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