Gallegly to Head New House Panel

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) has been named chairman of the congressional subcommittee on Native Americans and insular affairs, a new panel formed by the merger of two subcommittees, officials announced this week.

The chairmanship gives Gallegly new clout to control the agenda of the subcommittee, which will handle the management of lands and issues relating to the welfare of Native Americans. He will also have an easier time pushing legislation to the House floor for votes, something he and his Republican colleagues struggled with while Democrats set the agenda.

“To be given the chance to preside over a congressional subcommittee is really a humbling experience, and one I never thought I’d see,� Gallegly said in a statement. “I’m excited and energized by this new opportunity.

Gallegly’s new panel was formed by the merger of the subcommittees on Native American affairs, and insular and international affairs. Ventura County itself has 4,909 residents who listed their ethnicity as American Indian, Eskimo or Aleut in the 1990 census--less than 1% of the county’s population.

Gallegly said he had been offered the chairmanship of the subcommittee on Africa last week but opted instead for the Native American panel because of his knowledge from years on the subcommittee on insular and international affairs.

Gallegly’s other assignments in the 104th Congress will be on the immigration and claims subcommittee and the courts and intellectual property subcommittee, both of which are part of the House Judiciary Committee.

He will also be vice chairman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee and chairman of a special congressional task force on immigration reform.