Barrasso Takes Gavel at Key Senate Panel

摘要

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)-the new chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, one of the most important congressional panels for construction-is likely to take a tough stance against environmental regulations and be an advocate for infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, observers say. Barrasso, 64, elected as EPW chairman on Jan. 4, is a staunch conservative who industry officials say has had a low profile-one calls him "a little bit of an enigma." The first item on his agenda is a confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt The hearing is likely to be an early round in a partisan battle throughout Congress over environmental regulations.