News

Simpson elected Speaker of House

By Enterprise Staff

This document was published online on Monday, November 24, 2008

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State Rep. Colin Simpson was elected Speaker of the House on Saturday.

New and returning Republican members of the Wyoming House of Representatives met in Casper to choose their leadership team for the 2009-10 term.

Rep. Ed Buchanan of Torrington was elected Majority Floor Leader, Rep. Frank Philp of Shoshoni was elected Speaker Pro Tempore and Lorraine Quarberg of Thermopolis was elected Majority Whip.

The leadership team will be sworn in Jan. 13.

Committee chairs were appointed and committee assignments were finalized during the Casper meeting. Chairmen include Rep. Pat Childers of Cody on Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources.

Simpson said he was “honored to be elected Speaker and humbled by his colleagues' support.”

Simpson added he is pleased to have a strong leadership team around him, and looks forward to working with his colleagues in the House and Senate to “realize great opportunities for Wyoming while recognizing that fiscal restraint and caution are necessary under the current national and world economic conditions that will most certainly impact Wyoming.

“Careful analysis and planning is required to continue to build our infrastructure and ability to do business in a diversified world and ensure that future generations can enjoy more opportunities than we have today,” Simpson said.

He believes the Legislature must address property tax relief and will propose options to address that problem.

Another critical issue is to protect the Wyoming coal industry's ability to mine and sell coal through enhanced research and development of clean coal technologies.

“Our coal resources have provided amazing benefits to our state and nation and the Legislature and the executive branch must continue to work diligently to see that Wyoming coal is produced to meet this demand,” Simpson said.

His father Al also served in the Wyoming House and was part of the leadership, but before he could reach the Speaker position he left the Legislature and was elected to the U.S. Senate.

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