Mr. Chairman

By Joetta L. Sack

Seven Valleys, Pa.

Nov. 9, 1994, was a cold, frosty morning in Michigan, and like many other Democrats, veteran Rep. Dale E. Kildee had not slept well. Just a few hours earlier, Republicans had won 61 new House and Senate seats and, for the first time in 40 years, control of both chambers of Congress.That meant, Kildee realized, that his new chairman on the House Education and Labor Committee would be Rep. Bill Goodling. While the Pennsylvania Republican had spent nearly 20 years as one of the panel's top minority-party members, few had thought he would ever lead the committee.

Even though the day had just begun, and politicians know not to call early the day after an election, Kildee knew Goodling was a farmer and would likely be awake. Sure enough, Goodling picked up the phone at 7 a.m.

"Mr. Chairman?" Kildee...