U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright is looking forward to leading the newest group of Democrats in the House of Representatives.
"I'm very honored that they did that," Mr. Cartwright, D-17, said during a telephone interview of his being chosen as president of the 49-member freshman class of Democrats.
A Moosic Democrat whose district includes parts of Lackawanna County, as well as Carbon, Luzerne, Monroe and Northampton, and all of Schuylkill, Mr. Cartrwright said his "top overall priority" as a congressman is to "get past the toxic atmosphere that has developed in Washington."
Toward that end, he and U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, R-6, Ind., president of the freshman Republican class, jointly addressed a meeting of the 84 freshman representatives during a three-day educational session in Williamsburg, Va., a pairing Mr. Cartwright said was unprecedented.
"We talked about the importance of getting together regularly," Mr. Cartwright said. "It's hard to demonize somebody that you know very well."
Mr. Cartwright also has been chosen to serve on the Natural Resources and Oversight and Government Reform committees.
Oversight and Government Reform, where he is the ninth-ranking Democrat, was one of his first choices.
"They have a very broad jurisdiction," he said of the panel that investigated steroid use in baseball and soon should be involved in an ever more momentous probe. "I have no doubt they will be fricasseeing members of the government about Benghazi," he said, referring to the attack on Sept. 11, 2012, around the U.S. Consulate in that Libyan city that killed four Americans, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.
Mr. Cartwright also is looking forward to serving on the Natural Resources panel, even though it was not his first choice. The committee has jurisdiction over mine reclamation, a hot topic across much of his district, and "things like fly ash," he said, adding, ""The only agenda I have there is making sure things are done properly and safely."
He said that whatever he does, he will make sure he serves his constituents.
"I intend to go about it the same way Congressman (Tim) Holden (the 10-term St. Clair Democrat Mr. Cartwright defeated in the April 24 Primary election) did," Mr. Cartwright said, adding that Mr. Holden "was masterful about getting government money into (his district)."
To help him fulfill that goal, Mr. Cartwright will be opening four district offices, one each in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Easton and Schuylkill County.
He has retained William Hanley, a former Holden staff member, as a grant writer, Mr. Cartwright said, adding that grantwriting skills will be even more helpful, now that earmarks have been eliminated, as a way to funnel money into the 17th District.
Mr. Cartwright said that he will remain committed to governing sensibly.
"Americans want us to behave like grown-ups," he said. "We can accomplish more things together."
Contact the writer: pbortner@republicanherald.com