“Hoyer is straightforward, dependable and always trying to get things done,” said Blunt, who traded offices with Hoyer when Democrats took control of the House in 2007.
Sometimes Hoyer’s patience with Republicans earns him ribbing from fellow Democrats. At a leadership meeting last year, Pelosi joked that she could not understand how Hoyer spent hours locked in a room with Republicans negotiating health insurance legislation. Pelosi said she doubted that GOP lawmakers really wanted a deal, said a Democrat who witnessed the conversation.
Senate Finance Committee ranking Republican Chuck Grassley (Iowa) gave credence to Pelosi’s suspicions by revealing the objections House Republicans raised during the talks.
Grassley, a backer of the measure, said the talks fell apart in part because House Republicans complained the bill would provide insurance to illegal immigrants. Grassley said those complaints now seem ironic because House Republicans later voted overwhelmingly for an economic stimulus package that would have given tax rebates to illegal immigrants.
The negotiations over children’s health insurance ultimately failed, but Hoyer recognizes that Republicans cannot be ignored.
“While people were frustrated that it didn’t get done, there’s a growing understanding it was not a lack of effort by Democrats in the House and Senate — it was for lack of votes,” said Hoyer in a recent interview, referring to the failure of Congress both to expand the children’s health insurance program and to redeploy troops in Iraq.
Hoyer believes, however, the political dynamic will likely change after November’s election, when Democrats expect to pick up seats in the House and Senate. Hoyer is not making any bold predictions about the 2008 elections, at least not yet. In late October of 2006, Hoyer said, “We can win 30 seats.” Soon thereafter, Democrats won 30 seats.
Hoyer has also worked to build bridges with conservative Democrats.
Hoyer has kept close ties with conservative Democrats since his unsuccessful race for minority whip in 2001, when Blue Dogs provided an important pillar of support.
At the end of last year a senior Hoyer aide presented to the Blue Dog Coalition a proposal on how to pay for Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) relief. Blue Dog opposition threatened to scuttle tax relief.
Although Democrats ultimately relied on Republicans to pass the tax bill after Blue Dogs balked, the mini drama served as another example of Democratic leaders relying on Hoyer to handle a difficult negotiation.
“He works with some of our more conservative groups, the Blue Dogs and the New Democrats,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), chairman of the DCCC, of Hoyer. “He’s very effective at working to try to build coalitions.”
Leaders may turn to Hoyer again to quell brewing Blue Dog concerns over a new AMT relief bill. Conservative Democrats recently warned they would oppose a budget agreement that failed to offset the costs of AMT relief.
After the intelligence surveillance debate is concluded, Hoyer will face an even tougher test if he pursues one of his most ambitious policy concerns: entitlement reform.
“President Bush said the entitlements have to be addressed; he’s absolutely right,” said Hoyer. “I think we absolutely have to address entitlements.”
He has embraced the idea of creating a bipartisan taskforce to begin the task and often calls for leaders to adopt the spirit of cooperation that existed between former President Ronald Reagan and former Speaker Tip O’Neill (D-Mass.) when they passed Social Security reform in the early 80s.
Hoyer will have to rely on his relationships with Republicans, conservative Democrats and another key faction — Democratic committee chairmen — to advance his goal.
Hoyer has developed trust among the chairmen from his weekly meetings with them to discuss the House agenda. After the 2006 elections, eight chairmen demonstrated their loyalty when they endorsed him over Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) in the race for majority leader – a race Hoyer easily won.
Those ties will be needed to overcome deep skepticism over entitlement reform.
Asked about the establishment of a commission to examine entitlement reform, Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) said: “I find that consistent with the Bush-type of thinking in terms of fighting everything that we’ve tried to do since [former President] Franklin Roosevelt; that’s my true feeling.”
Judging from his handling of children’s health insurance and FISA, Hoyer is ready to sit for hours in a room to hear Rangel’s concerns.
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