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Texas Democrat Gene Green appears poised to take the top Democratic slot on the House Energy and Commerce panel that handles health legislation next year after current ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. takes the top Democrat spot on the full committee.

The move would put Green currently seventh in seniority among committee Democrats parrying Republican attacks against the 2010 health care law with many of the GOPs legislative and oversight efforts likely to surface in the Health Subcommittee.

Green said the role would not be a problem for him, noting hes long worked to expand access to care, as the law was designed to do. But he acknowledged that the role he's assuming could be more difficult for other Democrats, because the overhaul has become such a political issue.

He said hell be looking for opportunities in the new Congress to fix some of the laws flaws, noting that the House ended up having to accept the Senate's version of an overhaul bill without going to conference.

I wouldnt mind sitting down with Democrats or Republicans and saying, Okay, what can we do to make the act work better, Green said. Hes particularly concerned that states including his own have not opted to expand their Medicaid programs.

Born, raised and educated in Houston, Green served for roughly two decades in the Texas legislature before winning a seat in the House in 1992. He crosses party lines on some issues, supporting the Keystone XL pipeline, for example. But Green continues to back the health law. Hes also worked with Republicans on other health matters, including a provision designed to provide incentives for developing new antibiotics to treat drug-resistant infections that was included in a five-year reauthorization of the Food and Drug Administrations user fee programs.

Next in Line

New Jerseys Pallone won a tight race last month to succeed Henry A. Waxman of California as the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, opening up his current position as the top Democrat on the Health panel. Pennsylvania Republican Joe Pitts chairs the subcommittee and will continue in that role next Congress.

The Energy and Commerce panel handles the lion's share of health policy, sharing jurisdiction with the Ways and Means and Education and the Workforce committees.

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Texas Democrat Seeks Top House Health Committee Post