Jeffords' defection from US GOP set to prioritize Democrats' health care

27 May 2001

Vermont Senator James Jeffords' shock announcement that he is resigningfrom the US Republican Party (Marketletter May 28, Stock Comment) has given the Democrats control of the Senate, by just one vote, at 50-49. Sen Jeffords has stated that while he will now stand as an independent, and he will caucus with the Democrats for organizational purposes, once the conference report on the Republicans' tax reduction legislation has been sent to President George W Bush.

The resulting switchover of power in the Senate in favor of the Democrats is scheduled to take place June 5, or after Congress passes the tax legislation, whichever is the sooner. While Sen Jeffords' defection from the GOP is unlikely to have a fundamental impact on the health care legislation which will be passed in Congress, the Democrats' assumption of control of the Senate's legislative agenda and calendar will have a profound effect on the way such legislation is formulated, according to observers.

Following the switchover, all Senate committees will be chaired by Democrats. Most significantly, Sen Jeffords' resignation means that he will relinquish the chairmanship of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, a position which he has held for the last five years. Sen Jeffords will retain a seat on the Committee, but the chairmanship will now return to Edward Kennedy, a long-time critic of the pharmaceutical industry, who chaired the panel during 1987-95.

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