Cornyn picking up perks, workload as Senate minority whip

By Maria Recio, Anna M. Tinsley and Scott Nishimura

Star-Telegram staff writers

(Update: An earlier version of this story indicated that Sen. John Cornyn's salary as minority whip would be increased, but it will not.)

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, will soon be the Senate Minority Whip, a job with a lot more than a title.

His salary will remain at the $174,000 he now makes as a senator. And he will get a car (probably an SUV) and driver, security detail, additional offices just off the Senate floor and a bigger budget to hire staff.

At the same time, "he'll also have a lot more responsibility," Senate Historian Don Ritchie said.

As the Republican's floor-watcher, said Ritchie, "he'll be the eyes and ears for the leader on the floor."

That's one reason he needs the additional suite of offices on the 2nd floor of the Capitol, so he can race out to speak, object to tactical moves and generally keep tabs on the Democrats. And he'll have the use of no less than the John F. Kennedy Room, as part of his suite, which Senate Democratic leaders gave Kennedy in 1960 for his use when he was the Democratic presidential nominee.

Cornyn will have to give up some committee assignments, however, and it looks like he'll leave the Senate Armed Services Committee and Budget Committee, holding onto Judiciary Committee and Finance Committee.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison recently cheered on her colleague, saying he is "going to be fabulous" in his new position.

Growing family

Former President George W. Bush will soon have another title to add to his resume.

Grandfather.

His daughter Jenna Bush Hager -- who was married to her husband, Henry, four years ago -- announced recently on NBC's Today show that she's pregnant with her first child, which is due in the spring.

Bush called in to the show and said he's "fired up" about becoming a grandfather.

Back to school

So, the new members of the freshman class in Congress have gotten lots of orientation sessions already but now they can say they've gone to ... Harvard.

Harvard University's Institute of Politics located at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, hosted nearly 50 new members of Congress Dec. 12-14 for a course on "exercising leadership."

U.S. Rep.-elect Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, was there, as well as Democrats Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, Pete Gallego of Alpine, Beto O'Rourke of El Paso and Houston-area Republicans Steve Stockman and Randy Weber.

Sweepstakes winners?

Two frosh who will represent portions of Tarrant County, Veasey and Roger Williams, a Republican, did pretty well in the office sweepstakes when they had to pull their names out of a jar. Veasey got the number 15, meaning he got to choose 15th out of the 70 freshmen and selected Cannon House Office Building Suite 414. Williams picked the number 25 and he ended up with pretty good space, too, in Longworth House Office Building Suite 1122.

Williams knows his committee assignments, too: he's on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Budget Committee.

Democrats haven't assigned the freshmen yet but Veasey is hoping for the Financial Services Committee or Armed Services.

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