The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this morning approved FERC nominees Kevin McIntyre and Richard Glick, sending them to a confirmation vote by the full Senate.

The committee voted unanimously in favor of McIntyre, a Republican tapped by President Trump to be FERC chairman, and Glick, a Democrat. The two testified before the committee Sept. 7. (See McIntyre to Senate: ‘FERC does not Pick Fuels’.)

Their confirmation would restore the commission to its full five members for the first time since October 2015, when Republican Phil Moeller left the commission. FERC was without a quorum between February, when former Chairman Norman Bay resigned, and August, when Republicans Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson joined Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur on the commission. (See FERC Quorum Restored as Powelson, Chatterjee Confirmed.)

On Wednesday, the commission is scheduled to have its first open meeting since January. (The meeting was moved from its normal Thursday schedule because of Rosh Hashanah.)

Also approved by the Senate committee today were Ryan Nelson, nominated for solicitor of the Interior Department; Joseph Balash, to be Interior assistant secretary for land and minerals management; and David Jonas, for general counsel of the Department of Energy. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) opposed Balash. Jonas was approved 14-9 on a largely party line vote.

— Rich Heidorn Jr.