WEEK AHEAD: CONGRESS TACKLES AGENCY NOMINATIONS, BUDGETS

by Chuck McCutcheon 

Nominations for senior positions at the EPA and other agencies, as well as fiscal 2018 spending bills, are on Congress’ busy environment and energy agenda as lawmakers return to work the week of June 5. The summer period leading up to the August recess is generally one of the most hectic in Washington—especially whenever there’s a new presidential administration seeking to fill vacancies. Susan Parker Bodine is scheduled to get a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee confirmation hearing June 7 as the Environmental Protection Agency’s next assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet June 6 to consider four nominations: David Bernhardt to be deputy secretary of the Interior; Dan Brouillette to be deputy secretary of Energy; and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to be Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members...more