By SUSAN FERRECHIO
Chief Congressional Correspondent
If there was even any doubt that the seniority system is alive and well in Congress, this little factoid will put those worries to rest.
According to the House Historian’s Office, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., will along with Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif, become the longest serving members of the House Ways and Means Committee as of April 10. The two men were both assigned to the powerful tax writing panel on January 20 1975 – almost 34 years ago.
“Counting the days, both members will match the 12,499 day mark,” which was reached Rep. Wilbur Mills, who served on Ways and Means from January 3 1939 until January 3 1977, said a statement from the historian’s office.
Not so coincidently, Mills, like Rangel, served as chairman of the committee, an honor the Democrats hand out almost exclusively by seniority, though that has been challenged recently by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., who this year wrested control of the House Energy and Commerce Committee from the longest serving member of the House, John Dingell, D-Mich.
Mills a Democrat from Arkansas, held the gavel of Ways and Means from the 85th Congress until the 93rd. Rangel has been chairman since Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, but has been the top Democrat on the committee for years before that.
Mills and Rangel are also connected by scandal, albeit of very different kinds.
Rangel is currently under investigation by the House ethics committee for failing to pay taxes and suspicion of soliciting money in exchange for legislative favors. He has remained chairman despite calls by some that he step down.
Mills reputation suffered when his stripper girlfriend, known as Fanne Foxe, became known to the public after she jumped out of his car and off a Washington bridge during a traffic stop. Mills eventually lost his chairmanship and facing a tough re-election battle, resigned.
