Byrd, Dole Take Senate Posts in Reversal of Roles

Upbeat Senate Democrats today reinstalled Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia as majority leader, and Republicans picked Bob Dole of Kansas as minority leader for the 100th Congress that convenes Jan. 6.

That reverses the roles Byrd and Dole played in the 99th Congress and reflects the outcome of the Nov. 4 elections that ended six years of GOP control in the Senate.

Byrd, who has led Senate Democrats since 1977, returns to the majority position he held until 1980.

With each party’s choices for its leadership posts all but settled in advance, there was no suspense as the 55 Democrats and 45 Republicans met privately in different rooms near the Senate chamber.

Along with Byrd, who also was celebrating his 69th birthday, the Democrats were reelecting their top leaders from the last Congress, including Alan Cranston of California as assistant majority leader and Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii as chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

In addition to Dole, who will be facing his first Congress as minority leader, the Republicans reelected their entire leadership team, including Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming as assistant leader and John H. Chafee of Rhode Island as Republican Conference chairman.

Today’s meetings also marked the beginning of the process of making committee assignments, a task that may not be completed until early next year.

The only major controversy concerning committees is on the GOP side and involves a dispute between conservative and moderate Republicans over who should speak for the party on foreign affairs.

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) is trying to unseat Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Lugar has served as chairman of the panel for the last two years, but Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.) is in line to head the committee with Democrats taking control of the Senate.

Tonight the Republicans hold their biennial celebration of having gained the Senate majority in 1980. A GOP aide said the bash this year--including an appearance by President Reagan--will be more of “a black-tie wake.”