The West Virginia senator refused to confirm the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman.
QUICK FACTS:
- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has again caused problems for the Biden administration’s green agenda, this time with the help of his position as the chairman of the Senate Energy Committee.
- The lawmaker refused to sign off on the confirmation of one of the administration’s top climate change lieutenants.
- The West Virginia senator was not comfortable holding a hearing” to confirm Richard Glick, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that oversees power companies and natural gas pipelines, for another five-year term.
- The five-person independent regulatory body will be in a 2-2 Democrat versus Republican impasse on a number of energy and environmental matters crucial to Biden’s climate change agenda when Glick’s current term expires at the end of the year.
MANCHIN’S TAKE ON ENERGY:
- Because of a 50-50 vote in the Senate, Manchin has consistently compelled Biden to dial back his climate change program.
- The decision will likely be praised by the energy sector, which has seen Glick’s leadership as a barrier to increasing domestic fossil fuel production and criticized by environmental groups for removing a supporter of stricter environmental laws from office.
- Manchin’s home state of West Virginia is one of the nation’s top producers of natural gas.
BACKGROUND:
- Glick was initially appointed to the FERC by former President Donald Trump and promoted to chairman by Biden.
- The president could renominate Glick in the new Congress. However, as long as Manchin is in charge of the Energy Committee, his future would continue to be questionable.