Donald Trump nominates Indian-American Neil Chatterjee for key position in FERC

Indian-American Neil Chatterjee has been nominated by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to a key administration position in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It is an agency which is charged with overseeing America’s power grid and deciding on multibillion-dollar energy projects.

Trump intends to nominate Neil Chatterjee, 40, of Kentucky as a Member of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term expiring June 30, 2021, the White House said.

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 further added.

ALSO READ: Trump administration committed to Tibetan issue, says Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

He had also worked for National Rural Electric Cooperative Association as a principal in Government Relations. Besides that, he was an aide to House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce of Ohio.

Chatterjee needs to be confirmed by the Senate before he can be sworn in as member of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

“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,” Senate Energy Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski said.

“We can’t do much of anything in the energy space until there is a functioning quorum at the FERC. First, we need to get names so that we can actually act as a committee. Believe me, I am urging anybody who will listen that they need to get moving on it,” she further added.

With inputs from PTI.

ALSO READ: Donald Trump signs USD 1 trillion spending bill to keep the government operating