The newly chosen Senate Republican Leader, Bill Frist of Tennessee, faces a tough legislative agenda as his party prepares to take control of the chamber in the new Congress. The 50-year-old Frist, elected by acclamation as leader on Dec. 23, replaces Trent Lott of Mississippi as the Republicans' Senate chief. Lott resigned after his comments at a party for Sen. Strom Thurmond sparked a controversy over what they may have indicated about Lott's views on African Americans.

Since his election to the Senate in 1994, Frist has not been on the major construction-related committees, such as Appropriations, Environment and Public Works and Finance, and thus hasn't built an extensive record on key industry issues. From the perspective of environmental groups, Frist has not been a major ally: The League of Conservation Voters gave him a grade of zero for his record in the 106th and 107th Congress.