A list by Republican leadership of anticipated committee assignments for the 109th Congress convening Jan. 4 shows Hatch with seats on four committees: Judiciary, Intelligence, Finance and Health. The latter two will vet Leavitt, the current administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, for the Cabinet-level HHS post.
Sen. Bob Bennett also would pick up a new committee assignment under the plan, adding a seat on the Senate Rules Committee to his current assignments on the Appropriations, Banking, Joint Economic and Governmental Affairs committees.
Hatch's move to the influential Senate panel that formulates health policy law is seen as an attempt by GOP leadership to compensate him for being forced to step down as Judiciary Committee chair under the Senate Republican caucus' self-imposed term-limits.
No other top-tier committee chairmanship opened up for Hatch.
If he wins re-election in 2006, Hatch would likely succeed Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who will be term-limited out as chairman of the powerful Finance Committee.
For six years beginning in 1981, Hatch chaired the Senate Labor and Human Resources committee, as the Health panel was then known and pushed through a number of health-related laws, including new warnings on cigarette labels, enhanced availability of generic drugs and easier exporting of pharmaceuticals.
"This is a very good fit," Hatch said Wednesday of the new committee assignment. "This will add to my duties, but it will also add to the opportunities I will have to work on issues that affect the daily lives of all Utahns."
Leavitt phoned Hatch the morning of his nomination by President Bush and asked for his support.
"He said, 'I need your help,' and I told him I'll do whatever he needs," said Hatch. "He'll have some trouble, but there are a lot of other confirmations that will be much more difficult and I have no doubt Mike will be confirmed."
The reshuffling of Senate committee assignments is expected to be endorsed by the full Republican caucus the week of Jan. 2 when lawmakers return to Washington. If the draft list is finalized by the caucus, Hatch would vacate positions on the Special Aging and Indian Affairs committees and Bennett will leave his seat on the Small Business Committee.
