The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today held a business meeting to advance four nominees to the Senate floor: David Bernhardt to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Dan Brouillette to be Deputy Secretary of Energy, and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to be Members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

“Secretary Zinke and Secretary Perry need their deputies in place to help them set strategic direction and run their departments on a day-to-day basis. At more than four months and counting, it is also critical to restore a working quorum at FERC as soon as possible,” Murkowski said. “I recognize that calendar space is limited, but am hopeful that we will be able to confirm all four of these nominees during this work period.”

The committee favorably reported Bernhardt by a vote of 14-9, Brouillette by a vote of 17-6, Chatterjee by a vote of 20-3, and Powelson by a vote of 20-3.

Murkowski supported all four nominations, which now head to the Senate floor for confirmation.

Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.