WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, voted to support two of four nominations during a business meeting before the Committee.
Heinrich voted to advance the nominations of Mr. Conner Prochaska to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Department of Energy; and Ms. Tina Pierce to be the Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy.
Heinrich voted no on the nominations of Mr. Jonathan Brightbill to be General Counsel, Department of Energy; and Dr. Ned Mamula to be Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.
A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.
A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:
With considerable reservation, I am going to vote for Mr. Prochaska and Ms. Pierce.
I will be voting no, however, on the other two nominations that we are considering today, Mr. Mamula and Mr. Brightbill.
I am troubled by Mr. Mamula’s track record of spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories, and I do not believe he is the correct choice to lead the USGS, an agency that prides itself on delivering unbiased, impartial, and objective scientific information.
Last week's nomination hearing, I asked Mr. Brightbill to square the Secretary's recent decision to roll back energy efficiency standards with prior court orders requiring the Department to update efficiency standards.
Mr. Brightbill’s response failed to provide me with comfort.
I am also troubled by Mr. Brightbill’s past record of defending the Administration's terrible environmental policies while at the DOJ during President Trump's first term.
As Republicans work to cut programs that save Americans millions of dollars in utility and energy costs, it is imperative that DOE’s General Counsel advocate for the rule of law as passed by Congress and signed by the president.
I am not convinced Mr. Brightbill will do so.
For this reason, I cannot support his nomination.
Thank you.
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