W.Va. senator gets panel assignments

Newly appointed Sen. Carte
Goodwin (D-W.Va.) received assignments to the Armed Services, Budget, Rules and
Administration committees on Friday, replacing the vacancies left by the late
Sen. Robert Byrd. 

The late senator’s seat on
the powerful Appropriations Committee went to
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Goodwin will take Brown’s spot on the Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. 

Goodwin will serve in the
Senate until a fall special election determines who will serve out the
remainder of Byrd’s term, which expires in January 2013. Gov. Joe Manchin
(D-W.Va.) has already announced his candidacy. 

Manchin named Goodwin, his former general counsel, to
temporarily fill Byrd’s Senate seat last week. After his appointment, Goodwin
helped Democrats pass an extension of unemployment benefits.