From the Office of Senator Kerry

Thursday, January 11, 2001

Washington, DC –– The Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee met today to recommend that Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) gain a seat on the Senate Finance Committee. Kerry will also retain his positions on the Senate Commerce Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, and as the ranking member on Small Business Committee.

Kerry said, "It is certainly an honor to serve as the sole representative from New England and I have high hopes for playing a constructive role on these critical issues. I look forward to working with my colleagues on a full legislative agenda that includes social security reform, preserving medicare, creating a prescription drug benefit and enacting tax cuts to help our families. I continue to believe that, even in a divided Senate, this is an opportunity for real progress on our most pressing issues.

This is also a great opportunity to build on the ground work that we have laid on privacy and tech issues on the Commerce Committee, as well as continue to work with the Foreign Relations committee on issues of strategic imperative to our country."

Kerry is the Chairman of the Steering and Coordination Committee. It is expected that these Steering Committee recommendations will be ratified by the full Democratic Conference on or before January 23.