Political spat leaves TVA board nominees in limbo

WASHINGTON — A partisan battle over the composition of the Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors continues to stall the Senate confirmation of three nominees.

The nine-member board is operating at two-thirds strength, as Democratic Senate leaders, concerned about the lack of Democrats on the board, have blocked confirmation votes on White House nominees Thomas C. Gilliland, of Georgia; William H. Graves, of Memphis; and Susan Richardson Williams, of Knoxville.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., co-chairman of the Congressional TVA Caucus, called the delay “petty politics.”

“The people of the Tennessee Valley need to know that the Democratic leader (Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.) is holding up the TVA board,” Sen. Alexander said. “He’s damaging our capacity to grow new jobs and have clean air.”

Jim Manley, a spokesman for Sen. Reid, said Senate Republicans two years ago, under then-Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., eliminated Democratic representation when they ushered through a change in the TVA board’s structure, expanding it from three full-time members to nine part-time members.

“Contrary to what Senator Alexander said, it’s the Republicans playing politics by abolishing Democratic representation on the board,” Mr. Manley said.

TVA, which provides electricity to seven states in the Southeast, including Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, is pursing an expansion of its nuclear power capabilities, which is opposed by many Democrats.

Mr. Manley declined to comment on how the standoff can be resolved but said Senate leaders are continuing to negotiate with the White House on a number of stalled appointments.

“Senator Reid continues to be in conversations with the White House and (Senate Minority Leader Mitch) McConnell (R-Ky.) to move a long list of nominees, which they have been holding up,” Mr. Manley said.

Democratic senators in 2006 held up six TVA board nominations in a similar dispute before eventually relenting.

Tom Kilgore, TVA’s chief executive officer, said he is supportive of the Republican lawmakers’ attempts to get Mr. Gilliland, Mr. Graves and Ms. Williams confirmed. All three have been approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

“The Congress had a good idea to change the board,” Mr. Kilgore said. “The six members are doing a good job, but it is not a full complement.”

The board is able to operate without the three nominees, since the six current members constitute a quorum, but the lack of a full panel has stalled some initiatives, such as the formation of an audit committee, TVA Caucus members said.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., has been pushing hard for the confirmation of Mr. Gilliland, who would become the first Georgian to serve on the board.

Ten North Georgia counties and six electric cooperatives belong to TVA’s service area, making Georgia representation on the board vital, Sen. Isakson said.

“We’re going to put every bit of weight into getting those confirmations,” he said.