The US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has voted in favor of the nomination of Rick Perry as the Secretary of Energy for the United States.
The Committee voted in favor of Perry’s nomination by the President of United States, Donald Trump, yesterday, January 31, 2016, with 16-7 votes in favor, the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources informed.
Chairman, and a member of Republican Party, Lisa Murkowski supported Perry’s nomination, along with the one for Ryan Zinke as the Secretary of the US Department of the Interior.
Both nominations will now head to the Senate floor for confirmation.
Maria Cantwell, member of the Democratic Party and a Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, voted against Perry’s nomination, voicing the concerns the climate science and energy efficiency programs at the US Department of Energy (US DoE) could have under Perry’s leadership.
Perry has in the past questioned the science behind climate change, stating on his confirmation hearing held last month that he believed the climate change was partially caused by man-made activity.
Commenting on the future of climate science and energy efficiency programs at the US DoE, Cantwell said: “We have made too much progress – and even more progress needs to continue to be made – to reverse course now. That is what I fear could happen at the Department of Energy when there is not strong advocacy of these key programs.
“Governor Perry’s testimony before this committee has left – in my mind – a great deal of doubt to his commitment. … After reviewing the transcripts and questions for the record, the governor’s responses left me wondering whether he would stand up and fight the White House’s approach to these programs.
“The department is responsible for much of the science that goes into assessing the speed and intensity with which climate change is occurring and what we should do to improve our reliance on energy efficiency and clean energy.
“I do not understand why President Trump appears to be so hostile to these programs.”