The progressive Democrat who helped birth the Green New Deal is joining the House’s premier energy and environment committee.
The Democratic Steering and Policy panel selected Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), along with five of her party colleagues, to join the House Energy and Commerce Committee after a spate of retirements. Several more Democrats are vying for a final open spot on the committee with jurisdiction over much of the American economy.
For Ocasio-Cortez, the selection represents a long-awaited payoff. She has for several years been asking for an Energy and Commerce seat.
“I’ve been very passionate about working on this committee for a long time,” Ocasio-Cortez told POLITICO’s E&E News. “What we’re going to have ahead of us is going to be quite daunting with not just a Trump administration, but a Trump trifecta, so there’s going to be a lot of defensive work.”
