OR-5: Hooley waits for Senate to act before taking on her final congressional session

U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-West Linn) will spend Monday in Oregon as she waits for the U.S. Senate to rule on a bill to bail out the auto industry.

Hooley’s spokeswoman Joan Evans said that the House leadership had not yet called back its members to participate in this week’s lame duck session, where they are expected to rule on the bill to provide $25 billion in emergency loans to automakers. In fact, they probably would not call back Hooley and others until some form of legislation looks to make its way out of the Senate.

“Generally speaking, the house is easier for the bill to pass through,” Evans said.

As of Monday morning, Evans was still not certain when the Representatives would be called back, but she said it would be very soon.

The Senate met Monday in a lame duck session to debate using a portion of the $700 billion bailout plan passed last month to aid the country’s ailing automobile industry. Senate Democrats are pushing for Republican support to help the automakers.

U.S. Representative-elect Kurt Schrader was also on Capitol Hill Monday. Schrader (D-Canby) will be stepping into the OR-5 seat after Hooley retires in January. According to The Oregonian, Schrader will be taking part in orientation and leadership elections this week.