▁given ▁names ▁Category : F rench ▁mascul ine ▁given ▁names ▁Category : G erman ▁mascul ine ▁given ▁names <0x0A> </s> ▁Erik ▁Edmund ▁P ou ls en ▁( born ▁August ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 6 4 ) ▁is ▁the ▁former ▁Washington ▁State ▁Senator ▁from ▁Washington ' s ▁ 3 4 th ▁Legisl ative ▁District , ▁a ▁district ▁that ▁includes ▁West ▁Seattle , ▁V ash on ▁Island , ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁Bur ien . ▁P ou ls en ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Washington ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 - 2 0 0 2 ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Energy , ▁Technology ▁& ▁Tele communic ations ▁Committee . ▁Best ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁se cur ing ▁tele communic ations ▁authority ▁for ▁public ▁utility ▁districts ▁and ▁der ail ing ▁a ▁high - profile ▁energy ▁der eg ulation ▁scheme ▁spons ored ▁by ▁En ron , ▁P ou ls en ▁won ▁appointment ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁There , ▁he ▁quickly ▁asc ended ▁to ▁positions ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Energy , ▁Water ▁& ▁Environment ▁Committee ▁and ▁Democratic ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Capital ▁Bud get ▁Committee . ▁He ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁Columbia ▁River ▁water ▁agreement ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁Washington ▁Conserv ation ▁V ot ers ▁Legisl ator ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁P ou ls en ▁spent ▁his ▁entire ▁legisl ative ▁career ▁working ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁a ▁gra vel ▁mine ▁on ▁Ma