SEN. BAUCUS LEAVES THE SENATE AND CAUSES MUSICAL CHAIRS

This week, the Senate voted 96-0 in favor of Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, to be the Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), who was the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, becomes the new chairman of the Finance Committee, and will chair the Committee alongside ranking member Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) becomes the new chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and will chair the committee alongside ranking member Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).