Representative Henry Waxman of California was voted Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee today. Waxman ousted longtime committee Chairman John Dingell of Michigan by a vote of 137-122 in a secret ballot amongst House Democrats. Dingell had been the Chair or Ranking Member of the Energy & Commerce panel for the past 28 years. The Waxman-Dingell battle for the committee was one of the more hotly contested intra-party battles in DC in recent memory and clearly signals a new direction in the House regarding Energy Policy.

Waxman holding the gavel on energy matters in the House is what we call good news around here. Michigan Democrat Rep. Dingell was one of the staunchest advocates of the policy wishes of the Big Three Detroit automakers that the Capitol Dome had ever seen and it’s kind of hard to drastically change the energy policy, the way President-elect Obama and the Democratic leadership have proposed, when a key committee chair from your own party undermines you.

You can takepart in promoting smart, renewable energy here in these United States by checking out the United States Energy Association.

LINKS:

NY Times: Longtime head of House Energy Panel is ousted

WaPo: Waxman defeats Dingell in race for House Energy Committee Chair

Kansas City Star: Waxman’s victory is great news for environmentalists