It doesn’t seem that long, but Tampa’s Kathy Castor has now been in Congress for a dozen years. It’s never easy when you are the daughter of an icon, but U.S. Rep. Castor has learned on the job, has acquitted herself well and is carving out her own reputation on issues such as health care, environment and Cuba. And now Democratic House leaders have chosen the six-term lawmaker to lead a new select committee on climate change in the new Congress. Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked her directly.
The new committee is not without internal issues–such as whether it will have subpoena power or whether it might be redundant in light of what the House Energy and Commerce Committee does. The latter has prompted intimations of a “turf fight.”
“I’ve already talked with incoming (E&C) Chairman (Frank) Pallone (D-N.J.), about coordinating our efforts,” said Castor. “We have a moral obligation to our kids and our grandkids to address this and do it aggressively.”