Last
month, Representative Frelinghuysen made a few public statements lamenting the
death of his colleague, Rep. Bill Young (R-FL) after his passing. Ironically however,
Frelinghuysen’s political career has received a considerable boost as a result
of Representative Young’s passing. This past Wednesday, Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY),
the chair of the House Appropriations Committee announced that Frelinghuysen
would assume Young’s post as the chair of the Appropriations Defense
subcommittee. (The Hill)
At
first glance, an outside observer might not think twice about the implications
of this appointment. Frelinghuysen seems to be the most logical choice to
assume this powerful and influential position. He has served on the Defense
Appropriations subcommittee since 1999, and prior to this appointment, he was
the vice chairman of the subcommittee. (Frelinghuysen Statement: Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee Chairmanship) It is also worth noting that
historically the institution of Congress has favored seniority in such
situations. Over the course of Congress’ history, it has been the norm for
representatives with long tenure to be given chairmanship over committees and
subcommittees.
Evidently,
the reality of this appointment is a little more complex than what meets the
eye. The title of an article published in the Defense News magazine relating to
this appointment is telling. This article, published on November 13, was
titled, “Frelinghuysen, a Defense Sector Favorite, Gets House Subcommittee
Gavel.” (Defense News)
The
main point of the article is reflected in a sentence that said, “[t]he
announcement should please executives in Rosslyn, Tysons Corner, Crystal City,
and throughout the halls of the US defense sector as Frelinghuysen has received
large amounts of defense sector campaign donations over the years.”
As
a matter of fact, data indicates that as Representative Young’s Health began to
decline, donations from defense firms to Frelinghuysen’s campaign committee
have steadily increased. (Defense News) In the 2011-2012 cycle, he received
more donations from the pharmaceutical, electric, and private individuals
sectors than from defense firms. Yet in the 2013-2014 cycle, three of
Frelinghuysen’s top five donors have come from the defense sector.
All
of this information raises the question of who, in fact, is responsible for
committee appointments in the House of Representatives. While Frelinghuysen is
a very logical choice for this position, it is reasonable to wonder if the
defense sector was able to exercise its clout to see the man it wanted in
charge of the defense appropriations subcommittee.
Works Consulted:
1)http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131113/DEFREG02/311130013/Frelinghuysen-Defense-Sector-Favorite-Gets-House-Subcommittee-Gavel
No comments:
Post a Comment