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Posted: 12:23 PM- WASHINGTON - Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, will become the ranking Republican on the Senate Rules Committee in January, a prominent spot on a panel that deals with lobbyist reform and campaign finance laws.
Incoming Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued a list of committee assignments late Wednesday, giving Bennett a prime spot on the Rules Committee.
Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch also secured assignments to in the next Congress to committees he already sits on: Finance, Judiciary, Intelligence and the panel overseeing Health and Education issues. It's rare for a minority member to sit on four committees.
Hatch has served on the Judiciary Committee as long as he's been in the Senate, 30 years, and served as its chairman until he had to leave the post under Republican rules. He is one of the ranking members on the Finance Committee.
In addition to the seat on Rules, Bennett will serve as part of the extended Republican leadership team, as well in a position of counsel to McConnell. Bennett says it's clear that lobbying reform will be on the agenda next year and he looks forward to addressing the issue.
"A citizen's ability to petition the government is a constitutional right, and I fully expect the committee to protect that right while safeguarding against fraud and corruption," Bennett said in a statement.
Additionally, Bennett said the committee assignment is a "unique opportunity" to work on reforming lobbyist and campaign finance rules, but also to ensure the Senate runs smoothly.
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