California's Rep. McKeon to retire from House

[unhappycamper]

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-buck-mckeon-retire-20140116,0,5910904.story



House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard “Buck” McKeon in 2012. The Santa Clarita Republican, 75, says he won’t run again.

California's Rep. McKeon to retire from House
By Richard Simon
January 16, 2014, 5:00 a.m.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), a onetime western wear haberdasher who rose to become chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, is announcing Thursday that he will retire after more than two decades in Congress.

His departure at the close of the current term will further diminish California's clout on Capitol Hill, at least in the short term, and set the stage for a competitive race to choose his successor.

The 75-year-old McKeon has chaired the Armed Services Committee since 2011, taking a leading role in fighting spending cuts to the Pentagon, but must give up the gavel after this year because of GOP term limits for its committee leaders.

"After you've been chairman of the committee, then what do you do?" he said in an interview in his Capitol Hill office, where he was joined by his wife, Patricia.

[bemildred]

1. None too soon. A bought and paid for war lover, Ol' Buck. nt