Environmentalist Wins Leadership of House Energy Panel

by Emily Gertz

Published November 20, 2008 @ 11:30AM PST

Rep. John Dingell of Michigan has lost the chairmanship of the important House Energy and Commerce Committee to Rep. Henry Waxman of California.  The committee handles legislation on global warming, energy, and health, and will be crucial to enacting the policies of President-elect Obama.

"For some, Mr. Waxman’s victory is the third leg of the climate-change stool," reports Keith Johnson on The Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital blog. "President-elect Obama just reaffirmed his campaign-trail commitment to a quick and ambitious climate-change program. The Senate has grappled with the issue for years. But the House historically lagged."

Mr. Waxman has been lauded by enviro-advocacy groups for backing tough measures to protect clean air and combat climate change.  While Mr. Dingell -- who was the top Democrat on the committee for almost 28 years -- has also advocated action on global warming and helped move environmental protection bills through Congress, he has also been a steadfast friend to the automobile industry.

Is Mr. Waxman's ascension to control of this powerful committee a sign that we'll see strong greenhouse gas controls enacted in 2009?  The WSJ's Keith Johnson thinks not: "Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who’s presented his own climate bills before, figures 2009 is out of the question. There’s a “good chance” Congress can get something done in 2010, he says, but that’s also an election year. Worries over the cost of climate legislation coincided with high energy prices and looming elections this summer to scupper one Senate bill already," he writes.  

[[But if I recall correctly, no one really expected that Senate bill to pass; just getting it onto the floor for debate was considered progress.]]

Enviros seem to see it differently, per Politico:  "Chairman Waxman has been a leader on global warming for many years, and we look forward to working closely with him in this new role," said The Natural Resources Defense Council's Karen Wayland in a written statement.  "Our nation faces many challenges, including the climate crisis, and Congressman Waxman understands that we can’t delay in taking on these issues."

For more on the political ins-and-outs of the Waxman-Dingell battle, see:

Longtime Head of House Energy Panel is Ousted (The New York Times)

Waxman Defeats Dingell in Race for House Energy Committee Chair (The Washington Post)

Waxman ousts Dingell for top House chairmanship (Detroit Free Press)

Dingell ousted from key post (The Detroit News)