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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday announced appointments to several powerful committees, including the selection of Rep. Kathleen Rice over fellow New Yorker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the House Committee on Energy and trade.
New York lawmakers had been trying to get a seat on the panel, according to multiple media outlets, and had been lobbying their colleagues behind the scenes for weeks, Politico reported.
The committee oversees a wide range of issues, including consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health, health care policy and climate issues.
Politico reported that there had been a controversial private meeting Thursday at the Steering and Policy Committee, where there was a secret ballot to vote on the two candidates. The outlet said the vote was 46-13.
Ocasio-Cortez, member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and rising star of the party, was outspoken on many issues the committee would address. She is currently a member of the powerful House Committee on Oversight and Reform. She also co-chaired a panel that advised President-elect Joe Biden on climate policy during his campaign.
Rice is a more moderate member of the party, a former district attorney who represents parts of Long Island. She currently sits on the House Homeland Security Committee. Rice’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pelosi welcomed the nominations in a statement.
“House Democrats are united in our mission to build back better, and with these strong voices at the table, we will keep this sacred promise to make a real difference for all Americans,” she said.
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