The White House today said it intends to nominate Suedeen G. Kelly of New Mexico to a full five-year term on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. With Senate approval, Kelly’s new term will expire in 2009. Sen. Bingaman has known Kelly for more than 20 years, since he hired her as an attorney in the Public Utility Section when he was New Mexico’s attorney general. In January, he asked Democratic Leader Tom Daschle to recommend to the White House that it nominate Kelly to a full term. Here is Bingaman’s reaction: "President Bush has made a wise choice in nominating Suedeen Kelly to a full five-year term on the FERC. Suedeen has brought to the commission more than two decades worth of academic knowledge and practical experience with energy law and public utility regulation. She has looked at these issues as a state regulator and as an attorney for all segments of the industry and consumer. In short, she has brought to the commission just the sort of broad experience and deep understanding of utility issues that it needs at this difficult time in its history. I urge my colleagues to support her nomination."