Being named by incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the prestigious House Rules Committee last week was unquestionably a big deal for Congressman-elect Peter Welch, D-Vt., but it could also limit his visibility on big-issue legislation in the next two years.

So says Daily Kos, the closely watched blog with a distinctive liberal tilt. In a posting that discussed Pelosi's moves last week, Daily Kos noted that the assignment could keep Welch "out of the spotlight on big-time bills" but give him plenty of face-time on C-SPAN as one of Pelosi's close confidants. For a look at the full posting, click HERE.

Kos also noted that the other incoming freshman legislators named to the Rules Committee are Betty Sutton of Ohio and Betty Castor of Florida. Sutton and Welch are replacing progressive House members who just got elected to the Senate. That would be Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Bernie Sanders in Vermont.

Here's how Daily Kos summed up the power being entrusted to Welch and Sutton as members of the Rules Committee: "They decide what amendments get to the floor, what the rules of debate are, and just about everything else surrounding the terms under which votes in the House are cast. You have got to be absolutely rock-solid to make it to the Rules Committee ... Their Rules Committee seats will keep them out of the spotlight on big time bills, but they'll be on C-SPAN quite a bit managing debate on the rules (every bill that comes to the floor under normal circumstances -- or "regular order" -- comes with its own, customized rule setting the terms of debate), and will be the sort of behind-the-scenes fixers that will make appropriators and other legislative powerhouses want to make sure their districts are taken care of. "

-- Sam Hemingway