As we prepare for the 108th Congress, there are a lot of issues to watch for, particularly those that affect the small business community. How will it all impact the afermarket? The 108th will be an active Congress and as small businesses, we should see several of our long-term initiatives move forward.

With all but one of the federal elections complete, leadership races are firming up, and the Bush administration as well as the U.S. Congress are developing agendas for the 108th Congress.

Republicans were able to recapture the U.S. Senate, increasing their numbers to 52 seats, with Democrats holding at 47 seats and Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., rounding out the Senate. One of the Democratic seats, Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, is in a runoff later this month. Whatever the outcome of the Louisiana race, Republicans will control the Senate.

Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., will assume the majority leader position with Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., switching to minority leader. Other than homeland security legislation and passing a continuing resolution for the funding of the federal government through Jan. 11, little action will probably occur during the lame duck session of Congress in 2002. But when Congress returns early next year, look for Senate priorities moving to federal judiciary appointments and a refocus on President Bush's agenda.

The Republicans increased their numbers to 228 members in the U.S. House of Representatives. Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., will again be the speaker in the 108th Congress with Rep. Tom Delay, R-Texas, stepping up to majority leader from the majority whip slot. With Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., stepping down, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will assume his current position.

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., is the newly elected vice chairman of the Republican Conference. Kingston participated in the Automotive Service Association's Annual Convention earlier this year in Washington, D.C.

Top issues to watch for early in the 108th Congress include energy, taxes, homeland security, judicial appointments, bankruptcy and social security.

Generally, the small business community should see several issues that have stalled in the past move to the front of the list, such as estate tax reform, tort reform and health care cost containment.

Committee party ratios and leadership changes were not the only items of significance in this election cycle. The new Senate Commerce Committee chairman is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. McCain labeled the telecommunications industry as the first target of hearings for the Senate Commerce Committee. With the chance of a major tobacco reform package, including the Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco, this could also be an early issue for the committee. Although Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., will remain a senior member of the Commerce Committee, the Consumer Affairs, Foreign Commerce and Tourism Subcommittee will have a new chairman yet to be determined. The Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over many auto industry issues.

One of the bigger changes in the Senate is the chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., will be the new chairman. Repairers should look for efforts to change national clean air policy.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, will chair the Senate Judiciary Committee. Breaking the logjam of Bush judiciary nominations will be the committee's chief focus.

The House committees of interest to the aftermarket will face relatively few changes because the Republicans maintain control of the House.

One casualty since the election is the announced departure of Rep. Larry Combest, R-Texas. He will resign in May for personal reasons. Combest has been a longtime supporter of the small business community.

Of course, we would be remiss if we did not mention the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn. Wellstone's death prior to the election was as much a shock to the aftermarket as it was to the nation. He was a tireless advocate for those causes exemplifying fairness and was largely responsibile for the recent service information availability agreement. Dorgan said of Wellstone, "For Paul, it was about the little guy versus the big guy, about those who did not have the power and those who did."

The 108th will be an active Congress and as small businesses, we should see several of our long-term initiatives move forward.

Bob Redding is the Automotive Service Association's Washington, D.C., representative. He is a member of several federal and state advisory committees involved in the automotive industry. For more information about the legislative activities of ASA, visit www.TakingTheHill.com.

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