Party cooperation could impact higher education

With Republicans holding a razor-thin, six-seat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives next term, the fate of higher education issues will lie in the ability of Congress members to work with their colleagues across the aisle.

Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Flint) said the 106th Congress will be successful if it consolidates the gains made this past term. Kildee teamed with Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Cal.) on the Higher Education Subcommittee to draft this fall's landmark Higher Education Act.

"We wrote the best higher education bill ever, bringing interest rates on student loans to their lowest rate in 17 years," said Kildee, a University alumnus.

"What I will probably do this semester is switch to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

"I hope Buck will become chair of that and then we would try to write another good bi-partisan bill," he said.

University Associate Vice President for Government Relations Tom Butts singled out Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann Arbor) for using her position on the Budget and Science and Research committees to help bring federal dollars home to Ann Arbor.

The University receives $150 million in student financial aid funding each year and is the nation's top recipient of federal research dollars.

Butts said the University has traditionally held strong support on Capitol Hill, adding he is not disappointed that all of Michigan's congressional incumbents were re-elected.

"They'll be (in Washington) gaining experience and seniority," Butts said.

The Republican party's shakeup following House Speaker Newt Gingrich's resignation may increase the influence of Michigan's congressional delegation even more than pundits predicted prior to last Tuesday's election.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Holland), a University School of Business and Administration alumnus, announced this past weekend that he is vying for vice chair of the House Republican Conference, the sixth ranking position in the Republican delegation. The vice chair holds a seat at the table where Republican leaders determine the party agenda.

Jon Brant, Hoekstra's press secretary, said Hoekstra is running against Rep. Tillie Fowler (R-Florida) for the post, and spent yesterday calling colleagues for their support.

"It's something he's always been interested in," Brant said. "What he wants to do is use this position as a platform for helping develop the positions of the Republican party."

Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Bloomfield Hills), as one of the first Republicans to come out in support of Bob Livingston's (R-Louisiana) likely to be successful bid for speaker of the House, also will become a higher profile member of Congress.

Knollenberg, who served on the Appropriations Committee last term with Livingston, will likely be rewarded for his support with a subcommittee chair, said Paul Welday, Knollenberg's chief of staff.

Political Science Prof. Vincent Hutchings said, despite optimistic gestures from Republicans and Democrats, he does not expect the fierce partisanship that has marked Congress since the 1994 Republican takeover to disappear in a Livingston-led House.

Livingston "appears to have a different style than the last speaker," Hutchings said. "He's less combative, less abrasive.

"But it's clear that Republicans may have an interest in changing their style, but not in changing substance," he said.

Hutchings said Democrats will never support a conservative Republican platform, adding that Congress will continue to accomplish very little.

"I expect it to be much of the same," Hutchings said.

Kildee, however, said Livingston, on certain issues, may be able to build bi-partisan support. He characterized Livingston as a moderate conservative and said the new speaker must balance different Republican constituencies to be an effective leader.

"Livingston will always need to be looking over his shoulder with the moderates on one side and Chrisitian conservatives on the other.," Kildee said. "But I think there's the potential of having a more productive and harmonious leadership."

11-11-98