New members usually don`t think much of Congress` seniority system, but the longer they stick around the more appealing it becomes.
Take Walter Fauntroy, elected in 1971 as a nonvoting delegate from Washington, D.C. Fauntroy can`t vote on the House floor, but he has most other rights of representatives, including service on committees.
As a 16-year veteran, he is now fourth-ranking Democrat on the Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee and this year he`s moving up to the chairmanship of the subcommittee on internavional development institutions and finance.
The post will give Fauntroy, who is black, a lot of say over
international banking and debt issues and provide him a sounding board in debate over such foreign affairs controversies as policy toward South Africa. ”You know,” he said. ”I was opposed to the seniority system when I first came here. Now it`s looking better and better.”
