The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources yesterday held a business meeting to advance two nominees for the Department of Energy:

• Mr. William Cooper to be General Counsel; and
• Mr. Lane Genatowski to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

Chairman Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, supported both nominations, which the committee favorably reported by voice vote. The nominations now head to the Senate floor.

With the passage of yesterday’s nominations, a total of eight reported by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee are now awaiting confirmation by the full Senate. Last week, Murkowski expressed her growing concern about the delays these nominees – most of whom are not controversial – are facing and urged her colleagues to work with her to expedite their confirmation.