House Picks Outspoken Liberal, Obey, to Head Powerful Panel

Passing over a lawmaker with more seniority, House Democrats Wednesday elected an outspoken liberal activist, Rep. David R. Obey of Wisconsin, to be acting chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee.

The choice of Obey, 55, over 74-year-old Rep. Neal Smith of Iowa by a vote of 152 to 106 represents the rise of a new generation of leadership on a tradition-bound panel that has been presided over by octogenarians in recent years. Obey’s supporters said that they believe he will be more aggressive in dealing with Republicans, while Smith’s backers argued that he deserved the post because of his years on the panel.

Obey will take over in the absence of Chairman William H. Natcher of Kentucky, 84, who has been hospitalized for most of the past month for treatment of a congestive heart ailment. If, as expected, Natcher does not resume his duties again this year, Obey would be an odds-on favorite to succeed him in one of the most influential jobs in Congress.

Obey declined to discuss policy issues Wednesday, but House sources familiar with his views said that he would work to reduce funds allocated to the Pentagon and defense procurement and channel more resources to job training and economic development.

This would pit him and his allies against Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), chairman of the panel’s defense subcommittee, who often is regarded as the chief advocate for the armed forces in the House.

The 61-year-old Murtha was reported to be interested in becoming chairman of the full Appropriations panel himself someday. He was a strong supporter of Smith during the monthlong intraparty debate over who would replace Natcher on a temporary basis.

Obey, who is two notches lower on the seniority ladder than Smith, has won respect from both sides of the aisle for managing the foreign aid appropriations bill, one of the most contentious measures taken up in the House each year. The tart-tongued Obey also is expected to be a point man for the Democrats in opposing House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), who is in line to become the GOP leader in the next Congress.

Smith, who has played an insider’s role for most of his 35 years in the House, said that the lopsided outcome apparently reflected the wishes of a younger and more diverse Democratic caucus. About half of the Democrats in the chamber have been elected since the 1988 election.