Click here to watch Ranking Member Barrasso’s remarks.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), delivered the following remarks at a business meeting to consider the nominations of:

• Dr. David Applegate to be director of the United States Geological Survey;
• Ambassador Carmen G. Cantor to be an assistant secretary of Insular and International Affairs at the Department of the Interior; and
• Dr. Evelyn Wang to be director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy at the Department of Energy. 

To watch the full business meeting, click here. 

Senator Barrasso’s remarks: 

“Thanks so much, Mr. Chairman. 

“As you and I both know, we’ve agreed to an en bloc voice vote on all three nominees today once we have a quorum.           

“I’m going to support Dr. David Applegate to serve as director of the United States Geological Survey at the Department of the Interior. 

“Dr. Applegate is exercising the delegated authority of the USGS director.

“He has held numerous positions in that agency. 

“It is the largest civilian water, earth, and biological science mapping agency. 

“At his nomination hearing, Dr. Applegate committed to prioritizing the core mission of the agency, and to zealously guarding its scientific independence to ensure the information it publishes is not tainted by politics. 

“This is imperative and I’m going to be watching closely to make sure he follows through that commitment.  

“I additionally support Ambassador Cantor to serve as assistant secretary of Insular and International Affairs. 

“I note we now have a quorum so I will move on to say she currently serves, has worked, and I believe will do a fine job. 

“I also support Dr. Evelyn Wang to serve as director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency at the Department of Energy. 

“Thank you Mr. Chairman.”
 

###