Confirmation hearings can be bombastic and they can be banal. But there always is the option of reminding agency nominees clearly of the central responsibilities of their jobs upon confirmation, an important opportunity that now presents itself with the hearing October 19 before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee to consider the nomination of Willie L. Phillips Jr. to be a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
FERC has a mandate that is relatively straightforward conceptually, however complex in terms of implementation decisions. To wit: “Economically Efficient, Safe, Reliable, and Secure Energy for Consumers ... at a reasonable cost through appropriate regulatory and market means, and collaborative efforts.”
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