Hutchison to Step in for Stevens

By Ira Teinowitz

A day after Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was indicted and immediately stepped down temporarily as the ranking GOP member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which handles broadcasting legislation, Republicans are naming Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison as his replacement.

Ms. Hutchison is the second longest-serving GOP member of the committee in seniority. She also is ranking member of another Senate committee, which normally would prevent her from moving up. Republicans waived the conflict today, allowing her to serve for what is likely to be a limited session this fall before the November election.

Congress is about to leave Washington for the August recess and the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. That means it won’t be back in Washington until mid-September at the earliest.

Confusion about what would happen at the committee in the wake of Sen. Stevens’ decision to stand down has already brought some delays of scheduled committee hearings this week.