Rick Berg makes it onto big committee

The announcement last week that Congressman-elect Rick Berg, R-N.D., will take a seat on the House Ways and Means Committee suggests Berg has made an impression. “Ways and Means Committee” often is preceded by “the powerful” because it is arguably the most important committee in the House. It is rare for a freshman representative to be assigned a spot on the panel. For example, it took Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., several terms before securing a Ways and Means slot. (Pomeroy also served on the House AG committee, a rare circumstance for a member of Ways and Means.)

In addition to being in a more visible category of freshmen, Berg will take the Ways and Means job as a member of the House’s Republican majority. One of the valid arguments Pomeroy used to underscore his clout in the House was that he was a member of Ways and Means and a member of the Democratic majority. He indeed was in a powerful position because of those two factors.

Berg can make the same argument. He can also crow a bit because he’s achieved a plum committee assignment as a freshman, only one of two GOP freshmen to land on Ways and Means.

How Berg translates his Ways and Means clout into policy that’s good for his North Dakota constituents is another matter. He handily knocked off a veteran congressman who had compiled an admirable record of service to the state. However, winning an election in a national Republican tide is a piece of cake when compared to rising to the challenge of affecting legislation.

Berg has a couple of things going for him. First, he has extensive experience and success as a leader in the North Dakota House. That seasoning will serve him in the legislative meat grinder in the U.S. House. Second, his conservative credentials will comport nicely with the political climate in Washington, the nation and specifically in the majority Republican House caucus.

Meanwhile, North Dakotans who supported Berg — and those who did not — should be pleased the new congressman from North Dakota is on one of the most important committees in the U.S. House.

Tags: opinion, editorials, berg, politics