[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6079059,"mediaKeyId","2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9","parentId",2956454,"title","Senators Press DOE Nominee on Workforce Reductions, Infrastructure Law Implementation and Grid Reliability","audioSeconds",3124,"startMs",449000,"endMs",3573000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9&start=449&end=3573","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9/thumbnail_449000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6079059/Senators-Press-DOE-Nominee-on-Workforce-Reductions-Infrastructure-Law-Implementation-and-Grid-Reliability","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079059-4c5159b24fcd5e67ae2f9baf3ccdb6fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770770985&Signature=hChOecArJbPxyiKQIufQfsSMRKuUCJiMgACCb1y~FrfCR7RNcrGC4BC6XCaGLZ9M5UiiXrDrDUicd2rk6Rt0gNPvFIjnWoZNaBqavwi0NTFQuQe8KNonFrxsZmpdGTnUM4DkCRAwmhm9zl4HyLAYapjOS2qLIJRotC-R5YympzcKfI8hWDpFh4UUz2t49r3csHBm-fohfb9Qx9HNUjSzS-Qazf~lQ9PYKPGHOadtAGw851igrnG2Rfgw8iXK3wk0DYZLFvg4jg97OSFMd97BiDsbhpMMmKxbZTQM5E8XWpWoJgFAy9Kcu-qz3v57gGZ0GYmQKDuPrXc7eyfC0PzhwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources","date","2025-04-11T04:40:53.73Z","article","Senators on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources sought commitments from Preston Wells Griffith III, the nominee for Undersecretary of Energy, to address reported workforce reductions, frozen grants and contract uncertainties at the Department of Energy and to ensure implementation of projects funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

\"The power to rescind obligated funds rests with Congress,\" Ranking Member Martin Heinrich reminded nominees; Griffith responded that he is \"committed to following the law on executing on the laws of this body\" and would prioritize understanding the details of previously awarded projects and contracts should he be confirmed.

Nut graf: Committee members repeatedly asked Griffith to clarify whether DOE would release already-obligated funds and preserve program offices that support grid deployment, cybersecurity and clean energy demonstrations. Senators asked for commitments to prioritize Office of Clean Energy Demonstration programs and to use DOE authorities to support tribal energy projects and Alaska energy opportunities.

Senators specifically named several DOE offices and programs of interest: the Grid Deployment Office (grid reliability and deployment), the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (referred to in the hearing as CESER or \"Caesar\"), the Office of Clean Energy Demonstration (OSED), and the Office of Indian Energy and the Tribal loan guarantee program. Griffith affirmed the importance of grid-enhancing technologies and cybersecurity tools for the grid and said he \"looks forward to learning more and making sure we're effectively and efficiently deploying those resources.\" He told Senator Lisa Murkowski he would prioritize evaluating OSED and the spending related to it.

Senators also raised concerns about the Bonneville Power Administration and other power marketing administrations. Senator Maria Cantwell submitted for the record a quotation from two former BPA leaders warning that \"the level of risk now with the existing workforce reductions is unacceptable\" and asked whether BPA's workforce should be exempt from hiring freezes. Griffith said he was not aware of current internal deliberations but emphasized that he would prioritize reliability, security and resilience should he be confirmed.

Tribal energy and Alaska-specific issues came up in several questions. Senator Murkowski asked Griffith to work \"to identify some opportunities to better leverage the resources that are within the office to make real progress\" for tribal communities; Griffith committed to prioritize the Office of Indian Energy and to work with senators on Alaska itineraries to review projects such as geothermal and hydro-plus-battery demonstrations in places like Cordova.

On broader energy strategy, several senators pressed Griffith on an \"all-electrons\" approach to meet rapidly growing electricity demand driven by AI data centers and reshoring of manufacturing. Griffith said, \"We need all electrons and we need them at a fast rate, to meet the growing demand from AI\" and emphasized the need for a secure, reliable and affordable portfolio of energy sources including nuclear, natural gas, renewables and storage.

The committee submitted no confirmation vote during the hearing. Chairman Lee said follow-up questions would be accepted for the record and closed the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WATCH LIVE- Hearing: Nominations for DOE Under Secretary of Science and Under Secretary of Energy","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members pressed Preston Wells Griffith III on reported DOE workforce cuts, paused grants and loan program uncertainties, and asked for commitments to implement previously obligated Bipartisan Infrastructure Law awards and to support tribal energy and Alaska projects.","taxTitle","Energy and Natural Resources: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1991,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6079064,"DOE Science Nominee Emphasizes Quantum, AI and Lab Security; Seeks Committee Support to Protect Research",1225,260000,1485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9&start=260&end=1485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9/thumbnail_260000.jpg","/articles/6079064/DOE-Science-Nominee-Emphasizes-Quantum-AI-and-Lab-Security-Seeks-Committee-Support-to-Protect-Research","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079064-3c4d971e6a3b5c7952a2423b8e32cf9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770770985&Signature=mqP81J7dDNEbCE3jn-lHrsWdyhuibsamXgR8~AHmzn~bG56iRQwa954Ebr4JF79zIvF9nomo~DAUKhliEpHl4b4OvqXJmqCY8PaBx4xNYQ-kz2Q0qOHwqgE1nX1h-Uy8ife0IGfzAD7O2U~CIapkggiOwQ9Gt70kkpzLUFRCImxm7UjD2e1PPCTl8JkNojru0Qf284Ctv-58gcBN92U5XW7pbIIiBKr9CYEPVlUKeMvUOvczuiqQnblC5czwQwfFHYMrOD5CHAGRLIhAGdXWN7A1nXZcd8s6l1y7yf0PF2dvU2hZrPXuyhoVPZfyiFTZW7z3Upy9bKlVrPaWgmHdiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Dario Gill, nominated to be Undersecretary for Science at the Department of Energy, told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that defending national laboratory research from foreign theft and accelerating programs in quantum computing and artificial intelligence would be central to his agenda if confirmed.

\"I'm very much committed to working with you and all the members of the committee to implement ways and improvements with which we can protect our most sensitive technology,\" Dr. Gill said when Chairman Mike Lee and senators asked how he would guard labs against infiltration and intellectual-property theft. Gill said he had been \"sensitized\" by incidents of theft in semiconductors and quantum-related work during his private-sector career and that protecting lab technology from espionage — especially by China, which he described as \"a very bad actor\" in this space — would be a priority.

Nut graf: Dr. Gill framed his science agenda around three linked objectives — defend sensitive research and facilities, accelerate AI-enabled discovery, and mobilize resources to build nation-leading quantum capabilities — arguing that national lab science is central to both economic competitiveness and national security.

In his opening statement, Gill recalled his role in industry efforts to commercialize quantum computing and told the committee: \"It is time to mobilize the nation's best teams to achieve the final frontier of building an error corrected quantum supercomputer before the end of this decade.\" He argued that pairing AI, high-performance computing and quantum research could \"shave decades off\" development timelines for large scientific problems such as fusion.

Senators pressed Gill about retaining open-science work at the labs and whether security measures would undermine collaboration. Gill responded that open science is vital for attracting and retaining talent and that he appreciated Sandia National Laboratories' director's remark that open-science elements — though a small portion of the budget — are essential to mission success. \"You have my total commitment of the appreciation and the importance of open science through the entire National Laboratory complex,\" Gill said.

Gill also told the committee he supports strengthening testbeds and programs that can translate federally funded research into capabilities, saying the National Quantum Initiative should aim not only to fund centers but to \"deliver a capability for the nation\" — a quantum-centric supercomputing platform with defined performance and cost targets. He described winning the AI and quantum races as a national imperative for scientific, economic and security reasons.

The committee did not vote on the nomination at the hearing. Senators indicated they would follow up in writing on particulars of lab security, foreign talent policies, funding and workforce issues.","Dr. Dario Gill told the Senate Energy Committee he will prioritize protecting national lab research from foreign espionage while pushing an accelerated agenda for quantum computing, AI-driven discovery and fusion development.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6079069,"Senate Energy Committee Holds Nomination Hearings for Two Department of Energy Undersecretaries",4228,151000,4379000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9&start=151&end=4379","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956454-2ef50ff1e1897394258009b7010db3b9/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6079069/Senate-Energy-Committee-Holds-Nomination-Hearings-for-Two-Department-of-Energy-Undersecretaries","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079069-bac01bf7455365503d94e26f25624080/orig.mp4?Expires=1770770985&Signature=d0DDjXfvtQeQ6UhlZ52weqo7qq0TFNxGP6~D0fY-Qd5ag-pXz5FOxfqQ-F00Rj13FyFwq6PMLYORS1AKnuV0smXN4zfZfaa0UFXUJcjjtKL5Xzn97Sh6uXDW64trHWYlhDf2WblI1-6EXL8bD9dQlASgIqLxpUAwyfX32OhoBc7N8qdMoAU9nwhw5FiyeuNIicpHfT2uEdLjPwUK2WUFltT-tCAIKVtv5CjpWom5-1uqrnZZyZEGg5pn7atGWCxkgCVXCkwTWnPaTKf8Q7E3tortafRv06Z7P6u91wdwfSLpSgy~MzyCC0YidxtNUBtxd3VnKU1cX-ekP-tHhGprHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on April 17 held a nomination hearing for two Department of Energy undersecretary candidates, Preston Wells Griffith III, nominated to be Undersecretary of Energy, and Dr. Dario Gill, nominated to be Undersecretary for Science. Chairman Mike Lee opened the fourth nomination hearing of the 119th Congress and said one previously scheduled nominee, Kathleen Segama, had been withdrawn from consideration earlier that morning.

The hearing focused on nominees' qualifications and how they would manage principal DOE responsibilities if confirmed: Griffith would oversee applied energy programs and infrastructure-related portfolios; Gill would lead DOE's science portfolio, including the department's 17 national laboratories. \"America must lead, not follow in this next era of energy transformation,\" Griffith said in his opening remarks, and Dr. Gill emphasized the laboratories' role in harnessing AI, quantum computing and fusion research for national advantage.

Why it matters: The two positions shape DOE decisions that affect the electric grid, national laboratories, federally funded research and the deployment of technologies that could influence U.S. competitiveness in AI, quantum and energy supply. Senators pressed both nominees on how they would balance priorities amid reported workforce reductions, paused grants and contractual uncertainties inside DOE.

Committee questions covered several recurring themes. Members sought commitments that nominees would appear before Congress if confirmed, that they had no conflicts of interest and that they would follow federal law on appropriations. Both nominees affirmed those commitments under oath. Griffith, asked about past noncompliance with a House subpoena during a prior administration, said legal counsel and the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel had instructed him not to appear then; he reiterated that he is \"committed to following the law, showing up before this committee without subpoena voluntarily and working with you and the members of this committee,\" if confirmed.

Members probed how each nominee would respond to specific program and operational concerns. Senators repeatedly asked Griffith about DOE workforce reductions, freezes on grant and loan programs and whether funds already obligated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would be implemented. Griffith answered that, if confirmed, he would prioritize \"understanding the different projects and the details\" and is \"fully committed first and foremost to following the law.\" He told senators he would use DOE resources to \"deliver on the president's priorities, winning the AI arms race, lowering energy costs for Americans, advancing U.S. leadership and innovation and ensuring Americans have access to affordable, reliable and secure energy.\"

Senators also questioned Dr. Gill about the risk of foreign espionage at the national laboratories. Gill said he had been \"aware and, unfortunately, been not only sensitized, but have to deal with consequences of, you know, dealing with, theft from China\" during his private-sector career and that he is \"very much committed to working with you and all the members of the committee to implement ways and improvements with which we can protect our most sensitive technology.\"

Other topics raised at the hearing included DOE's role in expanding electricity supply to meet anticipated growth in demand from artificial intelligence data centers, the importance of storage and grid-enhancing technologies, support for geothermal, tribal energy programs and Indian energy financing, and the role of power marketing administrations such as the Bonneville Power Administration. Several senators urged that programs and already-obligated awards from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law be implemented as Congress intended.

No committee votes were held during the hearing. Chairman Lee closed by saying any additional questions would be submitted in writing and that the hearing record would remain open for statements until 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 17.","The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee heard testimony April 17 on the nominations of Preston Wells Griffith III for Undersecretary of Energy and Dr. Dario Gill for Undersecretary for Science; senators questioned nominees on workforce cuts, program funding and DOE priorities but took no vote.","actionData","errors"]

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Senators Press DOE Nominee on Workforce Reductions, Infrastructure Law Implementation and Grid Reliability

DOE Science Nominee Emphasizes Quantum, AI and Lab Security; Seeks Committee Support to Protect Research

Senate Energy Committee Holds Nomination Hearings for Two Department of Energy Undersecretaries