-4.01111111.

Metro

On The Rise

Rep. Levin grabs leadership
reins of key House post.

oining his younger brother
in the elite circle of con-
gressional chairmanship
holders, Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal
Oak, is the new acting chairman of
the powerful House Ways and Means
Committee.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit,
chairs the Senate Armed Services
Committee.
"Sander Levin is now part of one
of the most powerful brother acts
in Washington since the Kennedys,"
declared the Christian Science Monitor
about the liberal-leaning Levins.
At a closed-door meeting on March
4, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told
rank-and-file Democrats that Levin
would take over for Rep. Charles B.
Rangel, D-N.Y. Rangel gave up the
chairmanship the day before on the
heels of an ethics inquiry into poten-
tial violations involving his personal
finances, fundraising and travel.
Levin, 78, was first elected to the
U.S. House in 1982 and re-elected
every two years with avid union
support. He served in the State
Senate from 1965-70 and chaired
the Michigan Democratic Party
from 1968-69. He lost gubernatorial
races in 1970 and 1974 to popular
Republican William Milliken. Levin
practiced law and taught at Wayne
State University in Detroit from
1971-74.
He has been an advocate for labor,
the Great Lakes and the auto indus-
try, and played a key role in the con-
gressional talks during the Chrysler
and General Motors bankruptcies. He
opposes free trade pacts.
Sen. Levin, 75, cut his political spurs
on the Detroit City Council and was
first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978.
In a statement, Rep. Levin said:
"The Ways and Means Committee
plays a vital role on critical issues
facing American families, including
job creation, economic development,
and health care ... I look forward to
moving vigorously on this agenda."
The committee develops tax
policy. It also embraces a range of
social welfare and economic policies,
including tax and revenue issues,
trade rules, health care and jobless
benefits. It oversees major federal
spending issues, including Medicare

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March 11 • 2010

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,
IN

Rep. Levin

Sen. Levin

and Social Security.
Such work, the congressman says,
necessitates "working collaboratively
with Democrats on the committee
and the entire caucus, with congres-
sional leadership and the Obama
administration and undertaking dis-
cussions with Republicans in order to
move our nation forward."
Rep Dave Camp, R-Midland, is the
minority-ranking member.
In a statement, Sen. Levin said,
"Sandy will do an outstanding
job leading the Ways and Means
Committee. He's thoughtful and
informed and a fabulous listener who
will seek to build consensus. You'll
never meet a harder worker or a nicer
guy. This is a big day for the Levin
family.
"This is also a big day for
Michigan. We know all too well how
important it is to promote job cre-
ation and help the millions who have
been hurt by this economic crisis.
In his new role, Sandy will be well-
positioned to pursue policies that can
create jobs and bring opportunity to
our families."
Rep. Levin is the father of four. He
and his wife, Victoria, died in 2008.
In March 5 coverage about Rep.
Levin's ascension, the Detroit Free
Press reported that the Office of the
House Historian said there have been
four instances of brothers serving
as chairs of congressional commit-
tees at the same time although none
since 1881. There is no precedent
for brothers chairing committees as
powerful and prestigious as those
headed by the Levins, the Free Press
reported.
Whether Rangel could return to
the Ways and Means chairmanship
if cleared remains to be seen. This
fall's congressional elections also will
influence who is chairman beginning
in 2011.

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