Washington, D.C. –Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a hearing today expressed his continued support for two Interior Department nominees and urged the committee to quickly vote on their nominations.

At the request of some members, the committee held a second hearing for the nominations of Rhea S. Suh to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks and Janice M. Schneider to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. Wyden said he hopes to report both nominations favorably to the full Senate as soon as possible.

“I want it understood that I strongly support both of the nominees,” Wyden said. “Ms. Schneider, I was for you before, and I’m not changing my mind.”

Wyden noted that in Suh’s current role as the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget at the Interior Department, she has found savings of more than $500 million in the Interior Department budget through key budget and management changes.

“Since you had a hearing before the Environment and Public Works Committee, you now have had not two, but three days of hearings, which is as many as Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito had for lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court,” Wyden said. “I look forward to seeing you advance.”

The committee previously held a hearing on Suh’s nomination on December 12, 2013 and on Schneider’s nomination on December 17, 2013.

An archived video the hearing is available on the committee’s website.