Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, joined Trent Lott yesterday in announcing his retirement from Congress. Hastert claims he wants to work on energy policy, but didn't rule out taking a job as a lobbyist, the post-Congress job of choice.

The former speaker said he also decided to step down now because his interests in developing new national energy policies was being sidetracked in the Democratic-controlled Congress, which is focused on the presidential election campaign.

"I wanted to get some energy policy done, but everything is being done behind closed doors on a partisan basis," Hastert told the Tribune. "You know, it seems to get tougher as we move into a presidential election year, and so I figured it was time for me to go out and live the rest of my life."

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Hastert said he had no immediate career plans, but said he expects to devote time to the creation of the Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy at Wheaton College, his alma mater. The school also will house a special library collection of his congressional papers.

Hastert, the longest serving GOP House speaker, said he had not explored job opportunities because of the potential for conflicts of interest while still a member of Congress.

"I'm going to talk to some folks. I may serve on some boards. I really don't know," Hastert said. But, he said, he had no plans to eventually lobby his former colleagues after what he said was a two-year ban on such activities by ex-House members.