Sen. Clinton joins panel led by Reid

Thursday, Jan. 11, 2001 | 10:06 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Freshman Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., will serve on a committee led by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Reid is chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee until Republicans reclaim control of the Senate later this month. Reid will then be the committee's top Democrat, and Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., will be chairman.

Reid said Clinton was the first of the Senate's 11 freshmen to request a seat on his panel.

She joins fellow freshmen Sens. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., Tom Carper, D-Del., Sens. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.

Clinton is interested in transportation issues, highway money, and protecting the environment and will balance out some conservative Republican committee members, Reid said.

"We need her," Reid said.

Reid joked about Clinton, who has drawn much media attention, saying "We'll always have people at our hearings."

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