Pelosi, Challenger Similarly Green, But Differ on Gas Exports

Bloomberg BNA discusses Paul Ryan's support for natural gas exports with William Yeatman. 

Both Pelosi and Ryan have called for expanding solar and other clean energy generation. Ryan in a Nov. 27 interview on Fox News said Democrats could expand their base and hone their economic message to answer the call for more manufacturing jobs in the Rust Belt. For example, Ryan asserts that boosting clean energy, such as making wind turbines, would help American manufacturing.

The role of minority leader will likely be executed similarly as past years—just without the safety net of a Democrat in the White House. Even though the minority party doesn’t set the agenda, Democrats picked up six seats in the election and the minority leader could be in a place to offer members’ votes for must-pass legislation, where Democratic votes have previously been needed, he said. Those have included passing funding bills to keep the government running.

The minority leader’s legislative influence will likely be seen on issues from clean energy subsidies to increasing natural gas exports, depending on who wins. William Yeatman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said if Ryan comes out on top, his support for natural gas exports could offer cover for Republicans to move those bills. Many Democrats have opposed more natural gas exports in the past because it could drive up demand for domestic drilling.

Read the full article at Bloomberg BNA.