[{"_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",6241965,"mediaKeyId","3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5","parentId",3251714,"title","Nominee affirms he would follow law if asked to withhold congressionally appropriated funds","audioSeconds",52,"startMs",103000,"endMs",155000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5&start=103&end=155","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5/thumbnail_103000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241965/Nominee-affirms-he-would-follow-law-if-asked-to-withhold-congressionally-appropriated-funds","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241965-15f4429e2d6cbfbab46eecaafa870b47/orig.mp4?Expires=1776398925&Signature=O3m3ye4x8URHclToQ0g5ScWOBbylTrTR2V-FyRq9XZ7-j0w5LTFARKM3vUJmFbQpDOeyVRTWuc-5ntI83KGZz98sRxH355oOVKwJDd3uISWieSE6e0BlT8gGABOWHy4W3Rf8wWAYEHz6H~afOZS3~tDmE5D5t6oo4l79dK7eCkxzmoGZ9cfvHWmm41wk3si62GZW0X1kT8FN-BnNzQYsdcB3tbMZ24Ghf5qIW60ty123mdGuvH8dvgH9Fnqrwbxry2zGAJEe~8ZrZXb~ll94eEM~NuqTjE17Qem31fzPsO6Cxng~Qp0uECXtY5E~Sj0Wu7B6C5XLXwHl~YAMReEFuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources","date","2025-05-09T18:46:24Z","article","During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, a senator asked Mister Wright whether he would follow the law if the Office of Management and Budget director directed DOE not to fund a program that Congress had expressly appropriated.

Wright replied, “My mission, the only way I roll would be to follow the laws and statutes of the United States Of America.”

The question referenced public statements by an OMB nominee about potentially using executive impoundment of funds to achieve spending reductions. The hearing record does not include any separate agreement or a written commitment beyond Wright’s oral statement that he would follow applicable laws and statutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ranking Member Heinrich Opening Remarks at Confirmation Hearing of Chris Wright (January 15, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Asked whether he would follow the law if an OMB director tried to direct DOE not to fund a program that Congress had appropriated, nominee Mister Wright said his mission is to follow U.S. laws and statutes.","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},6241970,"Nominee says ethics reviews complete, pledges divestment steps and lab visits if confirmed",101,1000,102000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5&start=1&end=102","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5/thumbnail_1000.jpg","/articles/6241970/Nominee-says-ethics-reviews-complete-pledges-divestment-steps-and-lab-visits-if-confirmed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241970-a645e6b3d32d9a9f94b79ca045decc07/orig.mp4?Expires=1776398925&Signature=nCnRqMGw7wPpRMFrC4N-PWEl7ZXfxs7HTf~NvO6JW3T7YIlUz0hIYu4J9G3kdQiIONmI5fA~NXjS7E6eQJgabdbgtnXkCNfPRKTpuutoIfdtuBpY4JUgTeBOCpLvWGhe4BxmOXniwbn3CuaVUaI0u7kLi5Ux8t6pAVqn9BbnrVEf1CCpe5PB7pgOJh0GqsZJHqX4qy75Vl~C9hI-a5-fnRnrKRfSpFSc9--uZzlYVcj~RO4suR07nNkfP4kUnd46xy2Ejnp8xB9oi-UAY2Pa-JcQCMTxmw04p24FRLXnlRGwjApY6XD98EY0XsKO8r3nKZcJxxL0mbrWqGIKJnsGWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 11, a senator asked Mister Wright whether he would commit to visiting both India and Los Alamos National Laboratory in his first year if confirmed. Wright answered, “I will absolutely commit to visit those two prestigious and hallowed institutions,” and said he would coordinate with the senator’s staff and, if possible, visit together.

The senator then asked Wright to describe his divestment plans and to address both conflicts of interest and appearances of conflicts. Wright said the appropriate federal ethics counselors have reviewed his investments and personal holdings and that he has “agreed to take all the appropriate action to avoid any real conflicts or perceived conflicts of interest.”

Wright also described himself as a lifelong entrepreneur in the energy sector and said he had submitted required disclosures. The hearing record does not specify which assets will be divested, the timing of any divestment, or the precise actions ordered by ethics counselors.

These statements were part of a broader exchange about nominee qualifications and ethics; the committee did not adopt any formal ethics conditions or vote on divestment during the hearing.","In the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, nominee Mister Wright said federal ethics counselors had reviewed his holdings, that he will take steps to avoid conflicts or appearances of conflicts, and he committed to visiting India and Los Alamos National Laboratory within his first year if confirmed.",{"_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},6241975,"Energy nominee backs transmission permitting reform, pledges DOE support for grid projects",193,158000,351000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5&start=158&end=351","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251714-6d81a2e6ad776b8dfa22bbb78a7379b5/thumbnail_158000.jpg","/articles/6241975/Energy-nominee-backs-transmission-permitting-reform-pledges-DOE-support-for-grid-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241975-b3c6874bca685b661f5872d3ed12e2f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1776398925&Signature=Cq5KByxotXRqeuMHVUq8YnmKr1c9CqCAugXFWqvw6n7GB0Kunb3zhfZDqqPPpVTyA4OgcfChe8-it~-Z6yTIpRktd4G7GUt50P3FXkF2a32tULaj30K-iDlb3TIlsRRDP6W-4EM06lVT~Fh4MW7LXHMUEXSoOSBSAWwpSXD6xO47Gw6UQvngqoDnJq7S0U~lNfowlhRr6dJwz7T8lJTjB3NkSDGKLHgug42bWXVA1G0-un6bOPvGryTFlT7Ub6tHI2Iegg2t73XhBsZ1GpPMTO8FfIObUJgbgQQe0SE4~qeukp9~mTjCqil04Sd185VMQE5DOq1BE2GMRxWnTYTVYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 11, a senator asked nominee Mister Wright how important transmission-line permitting reform is to broader permitting legislation. Wright responded that building new transmission and repowering existing lines is “very important” to meet growing electricity demand and to restore a long-term trend of falling real electricity costs and improving grid reliability.

The senator said the committee last Congress advanced “a comprehensive all-of-the-above permitting bill” by a vote of 15 to 4 and pressed Wright on whether transmission reforms should be included in any broader permitting package. The senator tied that need to rising demand driven in part by artificial intelligence, increased electrification and a recent increase in manufacturing.

Wright noted the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office and the transmission facilitation program have supported projects that can lower costs and increase reliability, citing the Southline Transmission Project as an example. “I’m aligned with you and will seek to find the best ways to improve our transmission grid, including expansion and new lines,” Wright said.

The senator also asked Wright to assure the committee that DOE would continue to use its authorities and resources for transmission projects if proposals such as Project 2025 were to eliminate the Grid Deployment Office. Wright affirmed he would seek ways to improve the grid and support transmission deployment.

The exchange focused on policy tools within DOE and on legislative steps to accelerate permitting; there was no formal vote or binding commitment to a specific legislative text during the hearing.","At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, nominee Mister Wright told a senator he supports transmission permitting reform and will use DOE authorities to back transmission projects such as the Southline Transmission Project to improve reliability and lower costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nominee affirms he would follow law if asked to withhold congressionally appropriated funds

Nominee says ethics reviews complete, pledges divestment steps and lab visits if confirmed

Energy nominee backs transmission permitting reform, pledges DOE support for grid projects