President Donald Trump is expected to face a wave of investigations when Democrats take control of Congress in January. His sweeping dealmaking in the energy sector is likely to become a central focus.
Democrats have pressed the White House for months on the legality of its intervention in Venezuela's oil sector and its cancellation of renewable energy projects funded by the Biden adminstration. They have raised conflict of interest concerns over numerous deals in the minerals sector.
But, until now, the opposition party could do little more than send strongly worded letters to administration officials. When the next Congress convenes in January, the Democrats will wield the subpoena power that comes with committee control, giving them the authority to compel testimony and the disclosure of documents.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee in the next Congress intends to pursue an aggressive oversight agenda to root out corruption, Rep. Frank Pallone, the New Jersey Democrat who will likely chair the panel, said in a statement.
With comfortable majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats will likely pass a war powers resolution that demands an end to the war, which has hiked fuel prices in the U.S. and around the world.