Accomplishments, modest but real

By Lisa Mascaro

Sunday, May 10, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Democratic Rep. Dina Titus scored her third legislative victory last week when the House approved her amendment to a mortgage fraud bill that would require lenders to show side-by-side comparisons of the range of home loans available.

The proposal was not a barn burner. It was a modest attempt to prevent the bad loans contributing to the foreclosure crisis crippling her Southern Nevada district. The idea drew a pointed exchange with a Republican opponent on the floor, but passed on a simple voice vote without further discussion.

The amendment was the kind of practical legislation Titus has focused on since coming to Washington, enabling her to build an early record of legislative success that surpasses that of any majority party freshmen from Nevada in recent history.

Her achievements so far:

• An amendment to establish a reserve corps of volunteers who can be called on during emergencies. The president signed the provision into law as part of a landmark national service bill.

• An amendment seeking better scientific modeling of the effect of climate change on water resources. It was tucked into a broader water bill that passed the House.

• The housing amendment passed last week.

“We’re working very, very hard,” Titus told constituents on a recent conference call.

That Titus is a hard worker was never in doubt. During her 20 years as a legislator in Carson City, she was known as the first in and the one to turn lights off on her way out. She arrived in Washington with not only the work ethic to survive long nights on the Hill, but a comfort level with the legislative process that eludes many newcomers.

On the floor and in closed-door talks, Titus appears to have quickly translated her statehouse experience and career as a UNLV political science professor into the language of Washington.

Consider last week’s housing amendment. The legislation started as a bill that would require banks to notify mortgage holders of the payment help available.

The powerful chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, had concerns about the scope.

Titus withdrew the proposal, worked with his committee staff and returned with last week’s amendment.

Lesson No. 1: Work well with others.

When the amendment came to the floor, Titus faced opposition from Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Texas. He argued that the amendment was impractical, essentially complicating a process the bill was trying to streamline.

“Do you believe that a lender that maybe has 15 or 20 products available to him ... he’s going to have to do a spreadsheet that’s 15 or 16 columns wide?” the Texan said.

Lesson No. 2: Think on your feet.

Titus’ response included a sample chart of what the loan comparisons might look like. Then she turned to her wit. “The paperwork is just a simple chart, side by side, that a second grader could make.”

Zing. The voice vote was called. The amendment passed.

Eric Herzik, chairman of the political science department at the University of Nevada, Reno, said it doesn’t hurt that Titus taught politics all those years. “She’s off to a good start,” he said.

Titus knows she has been given opportunities. She is the first Democrat to represent the district, and her party wants to see her reelected in 2010.

The party knows that helping build a record of legislative success will be important to her campaign. Republicans tried to do the same for Rep. Jon Porter when he held the seat.

But opportunity only goes so far. At some point, it’s up to her to deliver.

Nevada Republican strategist Robert Uithoven said Republicans can certainly target Titus over philosophical differences. But, he said, “nobody’s going to make a credible argument she doesn’t work hard.”

Democrats, he added, are “very smart in handing her the big tasks. She can handle it. And she needs it for 2010.”