Congress girds for a new era
With adjournment looming, the 96th Congress moved last week to set itself up for the 97th and Ronald Reagan's White House. Among House Republicans, the preparation took the form of electing Illinois' Robert Michel as minority leader over Michigan's Guy Vander Jagt; obviously, the feeling was that the new President's legislative program stood a better chance against the Democratic majority under Michel's brand of amicable persuasion. Republicans also elected New York's Jack Kemp as chairman of the party's conference, or caucus, and Mississippi's Trent Lott as party whip.
In selecting their new leadership, House Republicans were trying...