Posted: Fri, Feb 7, 2003, 8:47 AM ET (1347 GMT)
The Republican leadership of the US House of Representatives granted waivers Thursday that will allow one Congressman to keep his chairmanship of the space subcommittee of the House Science Committee while granting a seat to a freshman member. The leadership of the Republican Party, which holds the majority in the House, agreed to allow Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) to remain chairman of the subcommittee. Rohrabacher had been required by House rules to step down because of term limits on committee chairs, but the waiver will allow him to retain the chair for one more two-year term. Another waiver will allow Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL), a new Congressman whose district includes part of Cape Canaveral, to sit on the Science Committee and its space subcommittee. Rules allow freshman members to sit on only two committees, and Feeney had already been named to the Judiciary and Financial Services committees. Feeney told Florida Today that the Columbia tragedy likely persuaded Republican leaders to make sure a representative from the "Space Coast" region of Florida was included on the committee. Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL), who also represents the Space Coast, had served as vice-chairman of the space subcommittee but left this term because of other committee assignments.
