As Congress considers important energy issues this spring, female legislators are at the forefront of the debate. For the first time in the nation’s history, women serve in the top two leadership positions on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., is chairwoman, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is ranking member, and they are steering legislation that sets the nation’s energy policies to promote sustainability, security and growth, writes Barbara Kasoff in Roll Call .  

In fact, both senators have said they plan to look for ways to work together on a diverse portfolio of energy issues in order to ensure a strong and economically secure future for the country. One area that has already received some of the committee’s attention is how best to manage the nation’s energy renaissance. Landrieu and Murkowski are particularly focused on U.S. energy exports, both liquefied natural gas and crude oil.