In a bipartisan vote of 70-15, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dan Brouillette to be the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy yesterday. An official swearing in will be held sometime in the future. Brouillette becomes Acting Secretary after Rick Perry resigned from the position. Brouillette was Perry’s Deputy Secretary.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the American people, President Trump, and DOE’s dedicated civil servants in this new role,” said Acting Secretary Brouillette. “I want to thank President Trump for placing his confidence in me to help advance America’s national security, energy security, and economic security through groundbreaking science, technology and innovation. I also would like to thank the Senate for its expedient review of my nomination and for the bipartisan support provided to me during the nomination hearing and tonight’s vote.
“Together, we will build upon the historic progress in energy made under Secretary Perry’s leadership, making our country safer, more prosperous, and secure,” he continued. “I am excited for what the future holds, as our Department continues to make a lasting impact both domestically and around the world.”
Under Secretary Perry’s leadership, the DOE attempted to bail out the struggling coal and nuclear power industries while limiting renewable energy adoption in favor of a “reliable and resilient electrical grid.” The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ultimately refused to adopt the plan.
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