Fred Upton has picked a former health care lobbyist to serve on the committee. Upton hires ex-health care lobbyist

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) has picked a former health care lobbyist to serve in an all-purpose role on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and also hired other longtime panel aides as his top lawyers, according to sources off Capitol Hill.

Howard Cohen is expected to have broad responsibilities next year overseeing health care issues for the powerful panel, starting with the GOP-led push to repeal the the 2010 law signed by President Barack Obama.


Cohen is currently president of the health care lobbying firm HC Associates and has represented a number of clients who have business before Upton’s committee, including the Federation of American Hospitals, Genzyme and PhRMA, according to Senate lobbying records.

Upton aides declined comment on the latest additions to the panel, but several former Capitol Hill aides now working on K Street said the congressman has hired Cohen and a few other staffers, including James Barnette as committee general counsel.

Barnette had the same job with several other past Energy and Commerce chairmen, including Reps. Joe Barton (Texas), Billy Tauzin (Louisiana) and Tom Bliley (Virginia), where he handled legislation dealing with Medicare, energy, bioterrorism and consumer protection issues. He's currently a partner at Steptow & Johnson.

Upton also has rehired Neil Fried, who has worked on the panel since 2003, as chief counsel on telecommunication issues. Ryan Long, a committee staffer since 2004, will be back as counsel for health issues.

For energy issues, Upton will rely on Maryam Brown, a former Energy and Commerce Committee aide who most recently worked on the Senate Republican Policy Committee. She’s also been at ConocoPhillips and served as staff director of the House Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.

Upton already has named Gary Andres as committee staff director. POLITICO reported earlier this month that Michael Beckerman is planning to move from the Michigan congressman's personal office to be the committee’s deputy chief of staff.

Several more committee staff positions are still being filled, including a lead attorney slot for environmental issues.