Harkin to replace Kennedy as health chair

Harkin: Chairman of Health

Senator Tom Harkin will replace the late Edward Kennedy, a fellow liberal Democrat, as chairman of the Senate health committee, a key panel in the drive for health care reform, a Democratic Party aide said on Wednesday.

In addition, Senator Blanche Lincoln will succeed Harkin as chair of the Agriculture Committee, the aide said. Both committee chairs are expected to be announced later on Wednesday along with Senator Chris Dodd's decision to remain as head of the Senate Banking Committee.

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Senator Harkin is not a bad man, and for a liberal Democrat, I support this. I'm breathing a little easier seeing he's been given the position.

It's time for reform. If the Republicans are not in, so be it. I didn't want separation of the parties; we wanted bipartisanship.

But bipartisanship does not mean kowtowing to the GOP on what we can and can't do with this bill!

Change will come, and whether or not the GOP wants to come out of their old platform of fear, so be it.

We don't need them.