Sizing Up Committee Appointments - Congressional health committees

Family Practice News, Feb 15, 2001 by Sally Peters

Most of the appointees to important Congressional health committees are individuals who have worked positively with the family practice community in the past, says Dr. Richard Roberts, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Many of the players in the 107th Congress are incumbents who have moved up, so a shuffling has occurred, but there are no real surprises in appointments.

On the House said, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), who Dr. Roberts described as "energetic, bright, and responsible," will chair the Committee on Ways and Means. And Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.), who has a "good relationship" with family physicians, will take over the House Ways and Means subcommittee on health. On the Senate side, Rep. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions subcommittee on public health, has been a key leader on health care issues.