Former Republican Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana and former independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia have joined a new bipartisan energy council to advise lawmakers.
The Bipartisan Policy Center rolled out its Energy Advisory Council on Wednesday, featuring a range of representatives from industry, advocacy groups and former government officials.
Graves was a leading voice advocating for oil and natural gas production, along with conservative solutions to climate change. Manchin, a former Democrat, was chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“There is an urgent need to address increasing energy demand and international competition, strengthen America’s energy infrastructure, increase energy affordability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and more,” Xan Fishman, a senior managing director of BPC’s energy program, said in a statement.
