Watch Senator Cantwell’s opening remarks here | Download TV-quality video

Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) voted no on the Trump administration’s nominee for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Bernard McNamee.

“I would have liked to take Mr. McNamee at his word when he assured me that he would be 'a fair, objective, and impartial arbiter,' and that he would decide these matters coming before him “based on the law and the facts.” But after the video surfaced of Mr. McNamee’s speech on fossil fuels, I find it hard to believe that he is going to be an impartial reviewer of these issues,” said Senator Cantwell.

“Mr. McNamee’s speech shows him to be neither fair nor judicious.  His views expressed are out of the mainstream,” said Senator Cantwell. “This fact was made even clearer this weekend with the release of the National Climate Assessment.  It shows, in stark terms, the impacts that climate change is already having and that are being felt in communities across the country.  Extreme weather events are growing more frequent. The bottom line is that they are costing us more at the federal level; they are costing us real dollars.  They are putting our homes and livelihoods at risk.  Our regional economies that depend on agriculture, tourism and fisheries are all vulnerable.”

In response to the release of a video of McNamee criticizing renewable energy and environmental groups, Senator Cantwell submitted the following questions for the record.

Broadcast quality video of Senator Cantwell’s opening statement can be found here. 

Witness testimony will be available online immediately before the start of each hearing on the committee website.

###