Congressional Focus

•Congressional Focus: Markey sworn in, Administration personnel advance...

•Energy Policy: Agencies move on climate plan, Shaheen Portman fights for floor time, Trade groups urge action on hydro...

•Cyber Security: Trade groups ask for delay on CIP v. 4...

•Dodd-Frank: House, Senate Ag hearings tee up sub-threshold fix...

•Tax and Finance: 135 Members sign muni bond letter...

Edward J. Markey was sworn in as the junior Senator from Massachusetts.  He will serve on the Small Business and Foreign Relations Committees, as well as the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, where he will have a role in cyber security legislation.  On June 27, NRC Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane was reconfirmed to a full, five-year term, just days before her current term was set to expire.  The Senate also confirmed Gina McCarthy as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator 59-40 on July 18.

Ron J. Binz has been nominated to be the next Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  Binz was the Chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and helped implement a law that required Colorado’s large investor-owned utilities to switch to natural gas or renewable energy.  Binz now runs Public Policy Consulting, a Denver-based government affairs firm, where he focuses on energy and telecommunications regulations.  Although no date has been set for his confirmation hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senators are likely to use the forum as a way to air concerns, questions, about a range of FERC policies and practices, including implementation of Order 1000.  

To read the complete legislative update including the following topics, click the links below: