Energy executive Alan Armstrong’s appointment to the Senate on Tuesday could bode well for the bipartisan push to overhaul the nation’s permitting policies.
Before becoming the newest Republican senator, Armstrong served as executive chair of natural gas pipeline operator Williams Cos. and previously as its CEO. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed him after Markwayne Mullin won confirmation to become secretary of Homeland Security.
Even though Oklahoma law prohibits Armstrong from running for the seat in November, he’ll be in Congress during what could be a pivotal year for energy infrastructure policy.
“The truth is, it’s gotten very, very hard to build large-scale infrastructure, and it is so critical to our country’s competitiveness in the long term,” Armstrong said during an announcement in Oklahoma City before flying to Washington.
