FERC quorum restored by Senate, Deputy Secretary of Energy confirmed

The Senate recently confirmed Dan Brouillette as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson as members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), restoring a quorum to the commission.

The Senate approved Chatterjee and Powelson by unanimous consent and Brouillette in a vote of 79-17.

“After six months, we have finally restored a working quorum to FERC,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said. “Mr. Chatterjee and Mr. Powelson certainly have their work cut out for them, but I’m confident they will work to quickly get this independent agency back on track and tackle the important work that has been deferred.”

Murkowski also scheduled a hearing before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which she chairs, for Sept. 7 to consider two additional FERC nominees, Kevin McIntyre and Richard Glick.

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources also recently advanced five nominees to the Senate floor.

The committee advanced three nominees for the Department of the Interior (DOI). Brenda Burman was nominated to be Commissioner of Reclamation, Susan Combs to be Assistant Secretary of Policy, Management and Budget and Douglas Domenech to be Assistant Secretary of Insular Affairs.

Two nominees are for DOE. Paul Dabbar was nominated for the position Under Secretary for Science and Mark Menezes was nominated to be Under Secretary of Energy.

“We accomplished a lot today, and favorably reporting five nominees out of committee was another important step toward ensuring the top leadership is in place at the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy,” Murkowski said. “I am hopeful that we will be able to confirm these nominees – and the others we have received in recent days – shortly after we return in September.”