[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Nomination of James P. Danly

  Madam President, today the Senate will vote on the nomination of 
James Danly to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Less 
than a decade out of law school, Mr. Danly lacks the experience of past 
nominees, and it seems his major qualification is deep ties to the 
energy industry. The process behind his nomination has been extremely 
partisan and unfair to the Senate minority.
  I have tried to work with the Republican leader to pair Mr. Danly's 
nomination with a Democratic nominee so that both would pass the 
Senate. That is what we have always done until Leader McConnell started 
his ways and President Trump became President.
  By law, FERC has seats reserved for both Democrats and Republicans. 
Democrats sent our recommendation for FERC to the White House over a 
year ago, long before the administration selected Danly. Yet while the 
White House sent Danly's name to the Senate for confirmation, they have 
held the Democratic nominee and given no reason or explanation why. 
Rather than work with my office and the White House to fix this 
problem--as every other Republican leader has done--and maintain the 
process of pairing nominees, which has always been the tradition 
whether Democrats or Republicans were in the majority, Leader 
McConnell, in his very partisan, pro-energy industry way, is moving 
forward with only the Republican nominee.
  Leader McConnell has been in the minority before. He knows that the 
only way bipartisan boards and commissions across the Federal 
Government are filled fairly with considerations for both parties is 
through cooperation. If the shoe were on the other foot, I am sure the 
Republican leader would be furious with the game the White House is 
playing with our nominees.
  Our preference would have been to clear Danly alongside our 
Democratic nominee, but now, for the sake of fairness and parity, I 
urge my colleagues to vote against his nomination.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Scott of Florida). The Senator from 
Alaska.