Don picks PIO for key federal agency job
Washington, May 9: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Indian-American Neil Chatterjee to a key administration position in the federal energy regulatory commission, an agency charged with overseeing America’s power grid and deciding on multibilliondollar energy projects.
The While House said Mr Trump intends to nominate Neil Chatterjee, 40, of Kentucky as a member of federal energy regulatory commission for the term expiring June 30, 2021.
Mr Chatterjee, who is energy policy advisor to US senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, has played an integral role in the passage of major energy, highway and farm legislation, the White House said.
Prior to serving McConnell, he worked as a principal in government relations for national rural electric cooperative association and as an aide to House Republican conference chairwoman Deborah Pryce of Ohio.
He began his career in Washington, DC, with the House committee on ways and means.
A Lexington, Kentucky native, he is a graduate of St Lawrence University and the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Mr Chatterjee needs to be confirmed by the senate before he can be sworn in as member of federal energy regulatory commission.
Last week, US lawmakers had expressed concern over vacancy.
“I’d like to see some names now. It’s very frustrating that we are here at May 3 and there hasn’t been a quorum at FERC for months now,” said senate energy chairwoman Lisa Murkowski. “We can’t do much of anything in the energy space until there is a functioning quorum,” she added.