ENERGY BRIEFING: Manchin Backs Haaland After Two-Day Hearing

Sen. Joe Manchin will vote to confirm Deb Haaland as interior secretary, removing some doubt about the nominee’s prospects after a two-day hearing in front of the West Virginia Democrat’s panel.

“While we do not agree on every issue, she reaffirmed her strong commitment to bipartisanship, addressing the diverse needs of our country and maintaining our nation’s energy independence,” Manchin, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement.

Among the issues of concern around Rep. Haaland (D-N.M.) has been the Biden administration’s pause of oil and gas leasing on federal lands. Manchin said earlier at...