Heinrich Votes In Committee To Confirm Energy Secretary Nominee

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, released the following statement after voting to advance the confirmation of President Biden’s U.S. Secretary of Energy nominee former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm out of committee. The Committee voted 13 to 4 to advance Governor Granholm’s nomination to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.

“I am pleased that President Biden has chosen a nominee to lead the Department of Energy who is committed to the energy jobs of the future. If we are going to meet the climate crisis head on and put millions of Americans back to work, we urgently need to focus on developing and deploying carbon-free energy technologies, electrifying economy, and restoring America’s status as a global leader in innovation, with science leading the way.

“I look forward to working with our new Energy Secretary to support the groundbreaking research and development at our national labs. Researchers and engineers at New Mexico’s Sandia and National Laboratories keep our nation safe and develop innovative solutions for the biggest problems we face. We have great opportunities to strengthen the partnerships between our national labs, universities, and private industry to spur technical innovation and boost job creation. I will also continue to hold DOE accountable for ensuring we continue to make progress in the cleanup of legacy nuclear waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory and safely operate the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

“During our meeting and in her confirmation hearing, I was especially pleased that Governor Granholm is committed to working with me to develop a place-based energy transition plan that ensures that New Mexicans who have worked in fossil fuel industries are not left behind by the structural changes in the energy sector. I will hold Governor Granholm and the entire Biden administration accountable for following through on their promises to ensure a just transition and substantial economic investments in traditional energy communities.

“I am also impressed by Governor Granholm’s extensive experience working with American automakers and manufacturers. Given the massive carbon footprint of the transportation sector, we must embrace the opportunity before us to manufacture many more electric vehicles in American factories and build EV charging infrastructure all across the country.

“I enthusiastically support Governor Granholm’s confirmation, and I look forward to working with her as our next Secretary of Energy.”