Members of the House of Representatives returned to Washington last week to attend organizational meetings and elect leadership for the 106th Congress. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I also participated in a very important hearing on saving Social Security.

An administration official, as well as several policy experts, testified before the committee on different options for saving and strengthening our nation's retirement system.

There is a great deal of concern in Georgia and around the country about how best to rescue the system. Many have expressed worry over the level of risk involved with different proposed solutions.

I commented in the hearing last week that the number one factor risk that must be considered as this debate continues is the taxpayer and the money deducted from their paychecks for the purpose of an old age pension. David Wilcox, Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, Department of Treasury, suggested using General Funds to redeem existing government securities and investing Social Security Trust Funds in private securities. When questioned, Mr. Wilcox admitted private sector investments may bring about a higher risk factor than the very safe government securities purchased today with the trust funds.

Also last week, as I mentioned, leadership elections for the 106th Congress were held. The new leadership team includes Speaker of the House Bob Livingston (R-LA). The Speaker presides over the House when it is in session, calling the members to order, overseeing votes. The Speaker traditionally does not vote but is seen as the chief authority for the party in power. Bob Livingston is the 55-year-old chairman of the House's powerful Appropriations Committee.

The Majority Leader remains Dick Armey (R-TX). The Majority Leader is usually the chief strategist for the party in power, though that responsibility can be shared with the Speaker. The job also includes serving as the party's spokesman on the House floor. Armey was an economics professor at a small Texas college in the early 1980s. He was one of the true evangelizers of Gingrich's Contract with America.

The Majority Whip also remains Tom Delay (R-TX). The Majority Whip organizes and spreads the party's strategy among members of the House. Delay has built a reputation as a strong voice for the conservative point of view.

The new Conference Chair is J.C. Watts (R-OK). The conference coordinates all House Republican communications and outreach, formulates conference rules and floor strategy, selects the Republican leadership, votes on committee assignment recommendations of the GOP steering committee, and serves as the caucus for all House Republicans. Watts is a former college and professional football player and conservative black Republican.

The new Conference Vice Chair is Tillie Fowler (R-FL). The Conference Vice Chair serves as the chief deputy to the Conference Chairman. Originally elected to Congress in 1992, Fowler hit the ground running serving as Co-Chair of the Freshman Task Force on Reform where she played a role in the passage of several reform amendments and pledged to limit her own service to four terms. Fowler won re-election in 1996 and 1998 with no Democratic opposition.

The Conference Secretary remains Deborah Pryce (R-OH). The Secretary takes the minutes of conference meetings and presides over the meetings if the top two officers are absent. Since her first election in 1992, Congresswoman Pryce has quickly risen through the ranks in Congress.