Sen. Jake Garn, R-Utah, has been named a new member of the Senate Energy Committee - which oversees such areas of Utah interest as the Central Utah Project, the National Park Service, wildlife legislation and federal oil and gas leases.
Garn already is the ranking Republican on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and is a member of the Approprations and Rules committees.He will not have to give up any of those assignments to add the new energy position because of a recent Senate rules change.
"I am looking forward to my new involvement with the Energy Committee, particularly because of the impact this can have on Utah," Garn said.
"It will enable me to be more closely involved with the authorization aspects of energy-related legislation in addition to my current work in appropriations."
Rumors had floated for weeks - and were even reported as fact earlier this week in the Washington Times - that Garn was about to join the Senate Armed Services Committee. However, Garn aides said they do not know how that rumor started, and said there was nothing to it.