Baldwin joins Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Baldwin was appointed today to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.). Coons left the committee to take the spot on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee left open by the death earlier this month of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) (E&ENews PM, June 20).
“This opportunity will allow me to support Wisconsin’s leadership in the areas of bioenergy, energy efficiency and advanced battery production,” Baldwin said in a statement this afternoon. “We have a lot of great ‘made in Wisconsin’ stories to tell that can serve as models for the rest of the country as we work together to build the next generation of energy innovation and promote American energy independence.”
In her statement today, Baldwin also sought to push back against those who continue to question the existence of climate change.
“The question is not whether climate change is occurring, but how our nation is going to respond to it. I look forward to giving Wisconsin a voice to our nation’s response on this important issue,” she said.
Baldwin has plenty of experience on congressional energy issues after serving on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for eight years during her time in that chamber.
Along with her Energy and Natural Resources Committee slot, Baldwin will continue to serve on the Senate Budget Committee; the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; and the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
Her appointment today was hailed by Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
“Tammy Baldwin has a long history of fresh thinking, and her energy and creative ideas will be a welcome addition to our committee,” Wyden said.