Congressional leaders to be picked today

[babylonsister]

Lawmakers choosing GOP, Democratic leaders for '09

Incoming, outgoing congresses choose leaders, fight with Bush over auto industry bailout

LAURIE KELLMAN
AP News

Nov 18, 2008 07:44 EST


Technically, lawmakers are returning to Washington for a final meeting of the old, lame-duck 110th Congress. In reality, the confab on Capitol Hill is nearly all about next year.

Members of the House and Senate and their colleagues-to-be were meeting Tuesday to choose their party leaders and some committee chairmen in closed-door sessions to set the stage for the 111th Congress.

The parallel meetings of incoming and outgoing Congresses have made for some close quarters shared by old, new and vanquished members.

One very familiar figure returned to the lofty Senate, having fought a battle of his own.

"It's good to be back in the Senate," Sen. Edward Kennedy, who has been coping with brain cancer treatment for six months, told reporters Monday as he arrived flanked by his wife, Vicki, and two dogs, Sunny and Splash.

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