“Ms. See is well positioned to ensure that the Commission faithfully adheres to its statutory mandate.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), delivered remarks at a full committee hearing to consider nominations to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The hearing considered the nominations of:

• David Rosner to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term expiring June 30, 2027;
• Lindsay S. See to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term expiring June 30, 2028; and
• Judy W. Chang to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term expiring June 30, 2029.

For more information on witness testimony click here.

Senator Barrasso’s remarks: 

“Well thanks so much, Mr. Chairman.

“Thanks for holding today’s hearing. And we’re going to consider three nominees, as you mentioned to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Ms. Lindsay See …, David Rosner, and Judy Chang.

“I welcome all of you to the Committee.

“Ms. See is an outstanding appellate lawyer.

“She has spent the last seven years as Solicitor General in the Chairman’s home state of West Virginia and during that time, she has overseen civil and criminal appeals in both the state and federal courts.

“Ms. See has fought tirelessly for affordable and reliable energy for all American families.

“She has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“In one of those cases, she not only advocated on behalf of West Virginia – she also advocated on behalf of my home state of Wyoming.

“And she won!

“From a young age, she has distinguished herself as a person of exemplary discipline, drive, and determination.

“Graduated summa cum laude from Patrick Henry College, then graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she served as Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review. Quite impressive.

“After law school, clerked for Judge Thomas Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

“If confirmed, Ms. See will bring her impressive experience working with complex statutes to the Commission.

“Ms. See is well positioned to ensure that the Commission faithfully adheres to its statutory mandate.

“Mr. Rosner is a familiar face, knows the FERC’s responsibilities firsthand.

“Since 2017, he has worked as an energy industry analyst at the Commission.

“And over the last two years, he has served as the Commission’s detailee to the Majority staff here.

“During that time, Mr. Rosner has represented Chairman Manchin and worked constructively with my staff as well.

“If confirmed, he will no longer represent anyone but himself and for that reason, I look forward to learning more about his personal views on the very specific issues.

“Ms. Chang is a self-described advocate of what she calls ‘clean energy transition.’

“Between 2020 and 2023, she developed energy and climate policies for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“To remind the committee, this is a state that consumes twice as much electricity as it produces.

“It’s a state that benefits from the resolve of other states and other countries to produce the energy that Massachusetts needs and uses.

“And it’s a state where residents pay among the highest electricity and natural gas prices

in the nation.

“In 2023, households in Massachusetts paid 84 percent more than the national average for a kilowatt hour of electricity.

“They paid 40 percent more than the national average for a cubic foot of natural gas.

“Massachusetts has the third highest prices in the nation for both electricity and natural gas and consumers feel the high prices.

“On the basis of her previous statements, I’m concerned that she has paid far too little attention to these facts.

“In 2016, she said ‘the current low price of natural gas…’ she said, ‘sends the wrong signal to achieve the objectives’ of Massachusetts policy.

“The policy she was referring to is the state’s radical climate agenda.

“In 2018, Ms. Chang said, actually asked – ‘does it make sense… to build more gas pipelines or gas plants?’

“She responded by saying – ‘to me, it doesn’t make sense.’

“Well, natural gas is critical for the reliability of electric service in this country.

“New England faces this reality each and every winter.

“The efforts of Massachusetts to block natural gas pipelines not only means higher prices for its residents.

“It means that Massachusetts has had to import liquefied natural gas from overseas – including in the past LNG from Russia – just to keep homes warm and the lights on.

“Under the law, FERC is responsible for ensuring the development of abundant supplies of natural gas at reasonable prices.

“Ms. Chang in the past advocated for the direct opposite.

“For that reason, I think the burden is on the nominee to explain why we should support her nomination.

“The last thing FERC needs is someone eager to impose the failed policies of Massachusetts

upon the rest of the nation.

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”