Majority Leader Tries To Ease Byrd Out Of Appropriations Chair

Politico reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to ease 90 year old Senator Robert Byrd out of his position as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Byrd's health has been declining in recent years. The appropriations that the Social Security Administration receives have a tremendous effect upon the agency's ability to perform its duties. There is no reason to expect that Byrd's probably successor, Senator Inouye of Hawaii, would pursue different policies than Byrd, but, even though Inouye is getting up in years himself, he would certainly be able to perform the duties of Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee more ably than Byrd can now perform them.