By Adjoa Adofo, CQ Staff
DECEMBER 15, 2008 -- With Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton likely headed to Foggy Bottom in January, Sen. Jeff Bingaman has been tapped to replace her as head of a health care insurance reform working group.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, made the announcement in a statement released earlier today. Bingaman, D-N.M., will head up the insurance element of the three health care groups within the committee designed to tackle the complicated and touchy issue of health care reform.
Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., is heading the group dealing with quality issues, while Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa., is chairing the group addressing prevention and public health.
Kennedy, D-Mass., also tapped Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., to serve as his chief deputy to help coordinate the effort.
Harkin's group has already held one hearing this month.
Bingaman, who served during the 110th Congress as chairman of the Health panel's subcommittee on children and families, has worked on legislation addressing the problem of obesity and has promoted more physical activity in schools.