Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approves Brouillette, Danly, MacGregor

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a business meeting to consider pending nominations. Mr. Dan Brouillette, nominated to be Secretary of Energy, passed out of committee by recorded vote of 16-4. Mr. James P. Danly, nominated to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), passed out of committee by a recorded vote of 12-8. Ms. Katherine MacGregor, nominated to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior, passed out of committee by a recorded vote of 14-6.

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, voted to confirm Mr. Brouillette, Mr. Danly and Ms. MacGregor. He also expressed his continued disappointment that a Republican FERC nominee is being advanced without a Democratic pairing. 

“I know first of all, what the White House has done, or has not done, is wrong. We should have a pairing. And I have asked the White House directly many times for this pairing. There is a lady who has been villainized, thinking she is so far out of the mainstream that she shouldn’t be considered. That is wrong. She is not. She brings so much intelligence, so much experience to this. It would be an absolute asset for FERC to have a working committee of five members and have the point of view of someone who is so intelligent and could bring so much to the table. I am not going to withhold my vote for James Danly because of that. I would be no better than them if I did this. But with that being said, I implore the White House to give us a working FERC. Give us the people that are qualified to do the job. Give us Ms. Clements, bring her up. She has been vetted since January. It’s ridiculous to hold this lady back who is so accomplished and could add so much to the reviews of the energy of this great country,” Ranking Member Manchin said.

###