Current.org Blog

Billy Tauzin, the Louisiana congressman who oversees broadcasting and CPB as House Commerce chairman, announced his retirement from the committee effective Feb. 16 and from Congress after this term, the Washington Post reported. Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) is expected to succeed Tauzin as chair, the Post said. In 2002 Barton named himself as "one of the skeptics about the need for public broadcasting today." Tauzin is expected to take the top drug-industry lobbying job. Public Citizen called for an ethics investigation because Tauzin had was a leader in negotiating the Medicare drug bill.