Sen. Cantwell won't confirm new committee chair position

Friday, January 31, 2014  

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) won't say which leadership post she is taking now that she's giving up control of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Cantwell is rumored to be headed to the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. She led the Senate Indian Affairs Committee for barely a year.

During that time, Cantwell held fewer hearings and advanced fewer pieces of legislation than most of her predecessors although her staff held a significant number of listening sessions with tribal leaders and Indian organizations. Her biggest priority -- a fix to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar -- remains unaccomplished.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) will now be taking up that legislation and other issues as the new chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He is expected to keep Mary Pavel, a member of the Skokomish Tribe of Washington, as the majority staff director.

Get the Story:
Cantwell stepping down as chair of Indian Affairs (The Spokesman Review 1/30)

Sen. Tester slated to lead Senate Indian Affairs Committee (1/29)
Sen. Cantwell might exit top Indian Affairs Committee job (1/7)