Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has hired a couple of fellows to help him with his committee work.

Richard Litsey joins the committee as counsel and senior adviser for Indian affairs. [IMGCAP(1)]

“I’m honored to have someone as accomplished and dedicated as Richard on my staff,” Baucus said in a statement. “From Indian health care to equity for tribal tax-exempt bonds, the Finance Committee can and should address a number of issues facing Native Americans in Montana and across the country. Richard’s expertise will help us to serve the tribes well.”

Before assuming his new role, Litsey worked as an American Political Science Association fellow for the committee. Prior to that, he worked for the Social Security Administration as the Houston hearing office director. He also has worked as an attorney for Baker & Hostetler in the customs and international trade section, as an attorney for the Legal Services Corp. and held multiple roles in the United States Customs Service.

An enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Litsey earned his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University and a law degree from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. The Dickinson, Texas, native earned a master’s of law degree in international economic law from the University of Houston.

Becoming health counsel on the committee is David Schwartz, 35.

“David has dedicated great effort and expertise to improving our country’s health programs, and his service on the Finance Committee staff has already helped to make Medicare and Medicaid work better for beneficiaries,” Baucus said in a statement. “I’m pleased to bring him on as a permanent staff member, and know he’ll continue to provide valuable contributions to the Committee’s work.”

Before taking over as health counsel, Schwartz worked as a Capitol Hill fellow for the committee in 2001 and then as a detailee to the committee from the Social Security Administration in 2005 and 2006. He worked in the office of the commissioner of the Social Security Administration as an attorney-adviser to the executive counselor for special initiatives. He also worked in the office of hearings and appeals, Medicare division of the Social Security Administration as an attorney-adviser.

The Little Neck, N.Y., native earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York in 1993. He earned a law degree form The George Washington University in 1996.

New Communicator. House Republican Conference Vice Chairwoman Kay Granger (Texas) has added a new staffer to her office. Steve Dutton, 25, will serve as deputy communications director and conference assistant in the office.

Prior to starting with Granger, Dutton worked as scheduler and executive assistant to then-Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas) from 2005 through 2006. He worked as legislative assistant for the United Parcel Service from 2004 to 2005.

Dutton, who wrote in an e-mail that he ran his first marathon last year in Tennessee and plans to run a marathon a year from here on out, graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in political science in 2004. He is from Argyle, Texas.

Healthy Hire. Anne Oswalt, 26, has been hired as a legislative assistant by Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). She will be responsible for dealing with health care-related issues. [IMGCAP(2)]

“I’m delighted to welcome Anne on board and believe that her background and expertise will help us quickly focus on the critical health care challenges facing Tennessee and our country,” Corker said in a statement. “Anne’s knowledge of the federal budget process as it relates to health care will be extremely valuable as we work toward making consumer-driven health care affordable, accessible and portable for every single American.”

Before assuming her new post, Oswalt worked as an account executive for Feinstein Kean Healthcare since 2006. Before that, she was a junior economist on the Senate Budget Committee from 2003 to 2004. From 2002 to 2003, she worked as a policy and floor assistant in then-Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles’ Republican Whip office from 2002 to 2003.

Oswalt earned her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Oklahoma in 2001 and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Cambridge in 2005. She is from San Antonio.