Two of Congress’ most influential lawmakers on water and environmental policy charted different courses this month, as Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) joined the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) announced his retirement from Congress.
Sen. Markey became the newest member of EPW when he was chosen to fill a slot vacated by former Montana Senator Max Baucus. Baucus resigned from the Senate after winning confirmation to serve as the country’s new ambassador to China.
As a longtime member of the House of Representatives until winning a special Senate election last year, Senator Markey has been a vocal proponent of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change. He has also supported mandates that water and wastewater systems adopt “inherently safer technologies” (IST) to reduce potential consequences of chemical accidents – a topic on which he could continue to focus as a member of EPW.
Congressman Waxman, meanwhile, will retire this year at end of the year, bringing to an end 40 years of service to the House of Representatives. He currently serves as the top-ranking Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and played a major role in crafting many drinking water-related proposals over the years, such as the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments.
House Democrats will choose a new Energy and Commerce ranking member to succeed Waxman at the start of the 114th Congress next year. New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone and California’s Anna Eshoo have each announced plans to seek the position.