Mary Landrieu poised to lead Energy Committee in Senate musical chairs

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

A likely reshuffle of Senate committee chairmen could have implications for Energy policy by placing the Energy and Natural Resources Committee gavel into Sen. Mary Landrieu's hand.

 

The Louisiana Democrat is poised to head the Energy panel after reports Wednesday that the White House will appoint Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., as the U.S. ambassador to China. Democratic Finance and Energy committee aides would not confirm or deny the report, which was first reported by Politico.

 

Landrieu is one of the more fossil fuel-friendly lawmakers on Capitol Hill and hues closer to Republicans on many energy issues.

 

"Mary and I have worked together on a lot of things," Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the Energy Committee's top Republican, told reporters. "So if in fact the dominoes should fall that way, I think it could be very interesting and a lot of fun to work on some of the issues that we both care a great deal about when it comes to the oil and gas sector."

Still, Landrieu's energy positions are often at odds with the Democratic leadership, which could try to cool attempts to pass conservative-leaning bills out of the committee.