Today (12/17), the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a confirmation hearing for Jon Wellinghoff to be commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). His current term does not expire until June 30, 2008, but in a surprise move late last week (12/12), the White House re-nominated Wellinhoff for a full 5-year term, which would end in 2013. It is speculated that the reason Wellinghoff, a Democratic, was re-nominated early was to pair him with the nomination of Republican Chairman Joe Kelliher, whose term expires when Congress adjourns for the year.
Kelliher's confirmation has been stalled, but now that an agreement appears to have been reached the Kelliher and Wellinghoff re-nominations are expected to be approved together by the end of this week.