WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed Senate confirmation late Tuesday of Colette Honorable to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Estevan Lopez to be commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation within the Department of the Interior (DOI), and Christopher Smith to be assistant secretary of fossil energy for the Department of Energy (DOE).

“While I don’t agree with the Majority Leader’s tactics, I’m glad that the Senate was able to confirm a number of Energy and Natural Resources Committee nominees for these important posts” Murkowski said. “I believe all three will thrive in their new roles moving forward, and I want to thank each of them for their patience with what can sometimes be a frustratingly slow process. I’m also disappointed that four other energy committee nominees were not considered yesterday.”

Murkowski, the top Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, supported all three nominees out of committee. Smith was reported out of the committee in December 2013, and then again in January. Lopez was reported out of committee in June. Honorable was reported out on Dec. 11.

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