FOUR DEMOCRATIC DEFECTORS JOIN GOP TO CONFIRM EXXON CEO REX TILLERSON AS SECRETARY OF STATE
FOUR MEMBERS OF THE Senate Democratic caucus broke ranks and joined Republicans to confirm former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. The vote was 56-43, with Sen. Chris c00ns, D-Del., not voting.
Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, voted for Tillerson.
As secretary of state, Tillerson will have tremendous power to influence climate-related negotiations — and to help energy firms secure rights to pump fossil fuels overseas.
Warner, Heitkamp, and Manchin are long-time boosters of the Keystone XL pipeline; the State Department has major authority over its construction due to it being a cross-border project.
Warner is a reliable ally of oil and gas drilling. He introduced a bill in 2013 to expand offshore drilling and co-sponsored similar legislation in 2011and 2012. He was also one of nine Democrats in the Senate who voted to override a veto by President Obama of legislation supporting the Keystone XL pipeline. “My record on Keystone is clear: I support the pipeline. After six years of study and debate, it’s time to approve this project and get on with it,” Warner said in 2014.
FOUR MEMBERS OF THE Senate Democratic caucus broke ranks and joined Republicans to confirm former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. The vote was 56-43, with Sen. Chris c00ns, D-Del., not voting.
Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, voted for Tillerson.
As secretary of state, Tillerson will have tremendous power to influence climate-related negotiations — and to help energy firms secure rights to pump fossil fuels overseas.
Warner, Heitkamp, and Manchin are long-time boosters of the Keystone XL pipeline; the State Department has major authority over its construction due to it being a cross-border project.
Warner is a reliable ally of oil and gas drilling. He introduced a bill in 2013 to expand offshore drilling and co-sponsored similar legislation in 2011and 2012. He was also one of nine Democrats in the Senate who voted to override a veto by President Obama of legislation supporting the Keystone XL pipeline. “My record on Keystone is clear: I support the pipeline. After six years of study and debate, it’s time to approve this project and get on with it,” Warner said in 2014.
