CAPITO NAMED TO GOP TRANSITION TEAM
21 members picked to aid in managing Republican takeover of U.S. House
by Ry Rivard
Charleston Daily Mail
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., was named Monday to a 21-member team managing the Republican takeover of the U.S. House.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., was named Monday to a 21-member team managing the Republican takeover of the U.S. House.
The team is meant to help oversee a "smooth and transparent transition into Republican majority," Republicans said.
The GOP gained at least 60 House seats on Election Day.
"I know that Shelley Moore Capito is fed up with the secret deal-making in Washington, D.C., that for too long has been a part of how both parties operate," said Greg Walden, R-Ore, who is the chairman of the GOP's so-called Office of Majority Transition. "That's why I know she's going to be a great member of our transition team, which will open up the process in the nation's capital so that Americans once again have a voice in how their Congress works."
Capito said the party wants to do things differently after four years in the minority.
Among the things the Republicans hope to build on is their YouCut program, a website they set up earlier this year for users to suggest cuts to the federal government.
"We want to have more accountability and transparency," said Capito.
Some of those transparency measures would be similar to those Democrats promised but apparently failed to deliver on, like giving members the opportunity to read bills before they were voted on.
"They didn't deliver on those promises," Capito said.
She accused the Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., of shutting out the minority. But she also admitted when Republicans were in charge before the 2006 midterms, they had not been as amenable as Republicans now hope to be.
"In all candor, when Republicans had the majority some of the same criticisms were leveled at us as Republicans when we had the leadership," Capito said.
She wants the GOP to "change our ways" and allow voices to be heard and amendments to be offered and to assure that things aren't "clipped on in the middle of night."
In one of what may be but a few bipartisan efforts, House Republicans are also likely to help President Barack Obama make good on a campaign promise to not sign bills with earmarks.
While House Republicans last year held themselves to a self-imposed moratorium on earmarks - the much-maligned federally funded pet projects - the Democrats did not.
"The president has said this but he hasn't delivered," Capito said. "And we're going to deliver."
Obama said last week in the rush to sign important legislation into law he was forced to sign legislation with earmarks in it.
Republicans also want to change the House calendar, which has been somewhat laissez-faire. Capito said right now members are asked to come in and vote Tuesday night and then leave on Thursday evening or Friday.
She said that doesn't give members enough time together to go over things in hearings.
"Everything gets so compressed when you're only there two or three days a week," Capito said.
In the future, members might work five days a week for three weeks than have a week off. But it hasn't been fully worked out.
