In The News

The top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is prepared to oppose Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) to serve as President Biden’s nominee to lead the Interior Department, the latest in an ongoing confrontation between oil-friendly lawmakers and the new White House over its climate priorities on federal lands. “Representative Haaland’s radical views are squarely at odds with the responsible management of our nation’s energy resources,” Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said in a statement to E&E News today. “Her vocal opposition to oil and gas production on federal lands will only encourage President Biden along the illegal

Rep. Deb Haaland’s confirmation hearing has yet to even be scheduled, but already at least one Senate Republican is pledging to block her nomination to serve as secretary of the Interior. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced Friday he would take steps to prevent Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, from leading the agency with jurisdiction over activities on public lands — one direct result of the backlash against President Biden’s executive orders to halt construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and pause new federal oil and gas leasing. “After our conversation, I’m deeply concerned with the Congresswoman’s support on several radical

After speaking with Rep. Deb Haaland, Sen. Steve Daines on Friday said in a statement that he is “deeply concerned with the Congresswoman’s support on several radical issues” and threatened to “block her confirmation.” If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Haaland will be the first Native American to hold the position. A Democratic representative from New Mexico, Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo Tribe. When Biden announced her nomination on Dec. 17 tribal members in Montana celebrated the historic pick. Daines cited Haaland’s support of the Green New Deal and President Joe Biden’s oil and gas moratorium as

As the U.S. Senate is about to be weighed down with the second impeachment of Donald Trump, a bi-partisan push is quietly underway in both chambers to make the U.S. Postal Service profitable again. “This is the kind of common-sense bipartisan legislation that I came to Congress to try and introduce and I’m proud to be one of the folks who helped introduce and write this bill,” said U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, in an interview on Sunday’s Inside Texas Politics. The bill is called the U.S. Postal Service Fairness Act, and, if passed, would wipe away a massive financial

Two Senate Democrats are facing criticism for voting to defy President Biden and overrule his decision to kill the Keystone XL oil pipeline — before later voting to reverse themselves. Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia initially voted for a Republican amendment that would have put support for the pipeline in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that Democrats are drafting under budget reconciliation. Their votes meant the amendment passed 52-48 just before midnight, threatening to reverse Biden’s decision last month to end construction of the pipeline from Canada, citing environmental concerns but costing thousands

Early flashpoints in the Biden administration’s environmental agenda came to a head last night on the Senate floor, as Republicans used a marathon session of budget votes to put Democrats on the record on drilling and the Keystone XL pipeline. While nonbinding and largely symbolic, the handful of energy and environment votes during the budget resolution “vote-a-rama” that went into this morning’s early hours offered a preview of the legislative fights to come, with Republicans seeking to wield tensions within the Democratic caucus against Biden’s early executive actions. Democrats initially turned the tables on one attack by uniting as a

There has been one law nipping at the heels of the U.S. Postal Service for the past 15 years. It requires USPS to put money toward retiree health benefits some 50 years ahead of schedule. The mandate has the Postal Service funding benefits for workers it has yet to hire. And the burden has contributed to budget challenges as the USPS cuts staff and reduces post office hours. Montana has frequently been on the short list for cuts. Now, after years of postal workers lobbying Congress to deliver relief, it appears lawmakers might give their stamp of approval to removing

Nearly 50 senators have signed on to a letter pledging to oppose taxpayer funding of abortions. Senate Pro-Life Caucus chair Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced the letter on Friday, as “a unified message” to Democratic leadership that the 47 signers would “vote to block any bill that would undermine the Hyde Amendment or any other pro-life protections.” “We are united in our resolve to guard against any changes to Federal law that would unsettle nearly half a century of bipartisan consensus against taxpayer funding for abortion on demand, or otherwise threaten the lives of unborn children,” the letter states. The Hyde

The Postal Service seeks to cut costs and its regulator gave the agency greater flexibility setting higher mail rates, but Congress could have a far greater impact putting the Postal Service on firmer financial footing — if it chooses to act. Members of the House and Senate have introduced variations of the same postal reform bill in recent years, but nearly all failed gain much momentum. Lawmakers this week, however, brought forward the first major postal reform bill of the new Congress. Reintroduction of this bill, which passed the House last year — along with other recent postal actions on