[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6175402,"mediaKeyId","5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484","parentId",5356875,"title","Senate Energy Committee questions nominee David Eisner on international energy priorities and ties to prior Treasury service","audioSeconds",1158,"startMs",627000,"endMs",1785000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484&start=627&end=1785","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484/thumbnail_627000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6175402/Senate-Energy-Committee-questions-nominee-David-Eisner-on-international-energy-priorities-and-ties-to-prior-Treasury-service","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175402-eaf39c14ca1fcbaf5a87176912f8c957/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424771&Signature=LU8iaikha35n5WMUBDdWN8ZO8qznaY0TrjXi7V5GHaAxZLcyeeHcyx3IUtNzAfCqJDOUdxUdqg7G5ji6FhkSfvOXo5-8fohpqNo09ITAjjXMRimpqlzzjySt-esyobdxu9NFQhjF3971Ym~Yp9dfaZ-KMDYWkfUFpaYBNh3wmrwIykezmKv5B7mDDF7daRTQfj3JOdJn1yi9-4RbdYEgfazeJqG2yp~8jNht~ee9nMpRgKz3djeksqdURNlDIHlhdCuxRkMXcfRdJG7rT0cwCYS8LE5KFB090gXlBKTNih~ifoKARDY0VBpb-IoK7hDHfLt~WrWhj3Fc1qCJUVy6hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources","date","2025-07-11T00:36:15.063Z","article","David Eisner, President Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of energy for international affairs, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 15 that he embraces the administration’s “energy dominance agenda” and plans to advocate for U.S. energy and critical minerals abroad if confirmed.

The committee convened to consider four nominees for energy-related offices. Eisner — who previously served as counselor to the secretary of the Treasury and as assistant secretary for management at the Treasury during the first Trump administration — described his time at Treasury as formative and said the experience taught him “the work that we were doing was not red and it wasn’t blue, it was red white and blue.” He told senators he would use diplomacy and data to advance U.S. energy interests.

Why it matters: the Office of International Affairs coordinates DOE programs with foreign governments and serves as the department’s lead for CFIUS (the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States). Changes in the office’s priorities affect trade, critical-minerals supply chains, and international energy deals.

Eisner told the committee he has worked with heads of state, ministers and business leaders through his private-sector and prior public-service roles and called American energy “a strategic tool in American diplomacy.” He said his career includes private-sector executive roles and service at Treasury, where he helped design programs implemented during the COVID-era rescue effort.

During questioning, Senator Lee asked how Eisner would reorient the office away from the prior administration’s climate-focused work toward the administration’s stated priority of energy dominance. Eisner pointed to his diplomatic experience and said he would be an “effective advocate of the U.S. position in the president’s energy agenda in all of the bilateral and multilateral fora” he would attend if confirmed.

Senator Daines asked whether Eisner would advocate for Montana energy producers facing what the senator described as discriminatory measures abroad, and Eisner said he would “advocate for American product, and I will always advocate against unfair trade practices if should they exist.”

Committee context: Ranking Member Senator Heinrich pressed nominees across the hearing about whether the department will continue cooperating with allies and maintaining international energy partnerships; Heinrich told Eisner he was concerned by “a 40% reduction in the department’s budget request for international affairs” raised in the administration request.

The hearing did not produce a confirmation vote. Eisner and the other nominees were sworn for their testimony and answered standard pre-hearing questions about appearances before Congress and conflicts of interest.

Looking ahead: if confirmed, Eisner would represent DOE in international meetings and at organizations that shape energy trade and critical-minerals policy. He will face further committee review and a possible floor vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WATCH LIVE: Committee Hearing on Several Pending Nominations","oneSentenceSummary","David Eisner, President Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of energy for international affairs, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 15 that he embraces the administration’s “energy dominance agenda” and plans to advocate for U.S. energy and critical minerals abroad if confirmed.","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},6175387,"Lanny Erdos, nominee to lead OSMRE, vows to reduce permitting backlogs and work with states and tribes",3610,1024000,4634000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484&start=1024&end=4634","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484/thumbnail_1024000.jpg","/articles/6175387/Lanny-Erdos-nominee-to-lead-OSMRE-vows-to-reduce-permitting-backlogs-and-work-with-states-and-tribes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175387-08483bccb72874e0421ef8d8a550f9be/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424771&Signature=i9rziXIF8ardQJDWS11Fk4V2iOFxE8anpipXULJhtsiM9-FjeTQdTahsIv58Z4VkZCY9n1aMexnzidEf~xe9tOD6Fh2RKXcehQit01P2TJuP2~M4eHm7YOjWm8QFTB61igr3sPttN1fmWxnWpedmK7wNPfKjCBXopDK263NUn9WMN2J4YBjlk~JSFxV2UlONWJ2Yed0hWX2NzbkpUQrHTGTLqwAchRVRWbC75MGazyxpgsH1jFVSbXGnq1HQ7w8yhPhGOWzSTA0a4gTbj-QmbpWJinxjCYKZKdIxVb32DomJNJpgXCQeNdKnu4DP0BQIQg0HZWb8tP2C7Ljdg3gjvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lanny Erdos, President Trump’s nominee for director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 15 that he would prioritize predictability in permitting, strengthen relationships with states and tribes, and work to address long-standing backlogs in OSM program amendments if confirmed.

OSMRE enforces the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), authorizes state and tribal primacy programs, and administers abandoned mine land (AML) funding. Chairman Lee said the president’s FY26 budget request included $262,000,000 for OSMRE. Erdos, who previously served in OSMRE leadership and spent decades at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, described his career as spanning federal, state and private-sector reclamation work.

Why it matters: OSMRE decisions affect permitting timelines for new and existing coal operations, reclamation of abandoned mine lands, state primacy programs and environmental safeguards under SMCRA.

In questioning, Senator Lee asked Erdos about permit timelines; Erdos said predictability is essential and that NEPA reviews for federal coal were a key area where timetables gave industry confidence. He noted recently approved EIS documents and records of decision as examples of progress. Erdos told Senator James and others he would seek to clear backlogs of program amendments, calling those delays “a problem for 10 to 15 years at OSM.” He said Ohio has an amendment pending for about 12 years as an example and pledged to be briefed day one on the issue.

Erdos explained how AML is funded: a tonnage-based reclamation fee (for example, he said, ‘‘22.4¢ for surface coal; 9.6¢ for underground coal’’) and separate funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). He emphasized that 24 states currently have primacy under SMCRA and that OSMRE’s role is oversight and partnership for those states; OSMRE is the primary regulator on many tribal lands.

On tribal consultation, Erdos said he has prior experience working with tribes and committed to “engage in active collaboration with the Navajo Nation and Navajo communities” for permitting and reclamation decisions on tribal lands. Several senators, including Murkowski and Barrasso, stressed the need for a “fair playing field” for coal and state regulatory certainty. Erdos also pointed to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on NEPA that he said emphasizes focusing environmental review on areas “to be affected” and supports timely decisions.

Erdos pledged to address program amendments, improve communication with state regulators and work to speed permitting while maintaining regulatory oversight; the committee did not vote on his nomination at the hearing.","Lanny Erdos, nominated to be director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, told senators he will prioritize predictability in permitting, address program amendment backlogs and work collaboratively with primacy states and tribes. Senators asked about NEPA, abandoned mine lands funding, and program amendments.",{"_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},6175392,"Audrey Robertson, nominee for EERE, promises science-based leadership amid questions over cuts to renewable and grid programs",1781,861000,2642000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484&start=861&end=2642","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484/thumbnail_861000.jpg","/articles/6175392/Audrey-Robertson-nominee-for-EERE-promises-science-based-leadership-amid-questions-over-cuts-to-renewable-and-grid-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175392-50c4492a86c35b84fbe630daac13aa7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424771&Signature=hAKmKrUyMa1YqEKPILxmnnhs5MpVHBmgy6M232IHLgxPWPoqOMKopr0mXLlKQhmxjXeMj3yoZOnYiGwF1NXOEN274byXQcTHGfsL7eALmEN7rldD~86720KChkFpEKSLMiQRWF6EwQ45eCvLfA0l7HAB4gNFJ4ZYVSgKu8b1dnzRAlBojj-qhKI4Yx98rsrHQuPX2agYwvxT-UAHAR~35VVS7~0hGJzWRgp8Yo91NfeUKh2r6~Uqky9ow4ZlMCiHPFpOTd31ff-n0~rqKV~9kU-PgVA~nZ7MuIGXs5BWTt-ukP0dbqfBZWZIcOCNcWZTDgKgmQPQs0-SwUCAQYGB2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Audrey Robertson, President Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 15 that she supports “all forms of reliable, affordable and secure energy” and pledged to make “science-based, common sense decisions” if confirmed.

EERE manages a broad portfolio of technology offices that fund work on technologies such as solar, wind, hydrogen, geothermal and grid integration. Ranking Member Senator Heinrich and other senators pressed Robertson on whether the office will continue existing award commitments and on the administration’s proposed budget reductions for EERE and related programs.

Why it matters: EERE funds and manages research, development and demonstration of clean-energy and grid technologies and works with national labs such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Changes to EERE’s budget or priorities can affect projects already under award and longer-term technology deployment.

Robertson described private-sector experience in oil and gas and utility-scale solar development, including a 250-megawatt solar project outside Fort Collins, Colorado; she also cited investments in next-generation technologies such as small modular nuclear, geothermal and advanced batteries. She emphasized geothermal’s role as a potential stable baseload resource and referenced projects in Utah, Nevada and New Mexico.

On budget and grants, Robertson declined to commit to departmental funding decisions before briefings and before confirmation, but said she would “follow the law and the advice of counsel” and that she would “be an advocate for the great men and women working across the Department of Energy,” including at NREL. Senator Padilla asked whether Robertson would honor previously awarded grants to California; Robertson said she would “follow the law and the commitments of the United States government” and review program matters after confirmation.

Senators also raised appliance regulation and product-class protections. Chairman Lee asked Robertson whether she would assist the secretary “to ensure that product classes are used to protect features on appliances that are important to American consumers.” Robertson answered the department should avoid “burdensome costly regulations that don't have a net benefit to individual Americans” and that she would work with the committee and staff on specific issues.

On innovation for grid-scale batteries and storage, Robertson said she supports battery technology and innovation and that lab programs and national-lab testbeds are important to advance storage capabilities, though she said she could not discuss budget allocations until she is in office.

The committee did not vote on her nomination; written questions and statements were left open through committee deadlines.","Audrey Robertson, nominated for assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy, told the Senate committee she supports all forms of reliable energy and emphasized technology and grid modernization. Senators pressed her on proposed budget cuts to EERE, commitments to grants, and support for geothermal, batteries and NREL.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6175397,"Nominee Timothy Walsh pledges focus on cleanup priorities, accountability at DOE environmental management office",3118,751000,3869000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484&start=751&end=3869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5356875-5d4e5ad5dccd8b2177759a8130bf0484/thumbnail_751000.jpg","/articles/6175397/Nominee-Timothy-Walsh-pledges-focus-on-cleanup-priorities-accountability-at-DOE-environmental-management-office","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175397-5013d05a61ade0c6973e6555dced1a66/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424771&Signature=eUvgGn49XTAnzTbsB8upNyQZijZmCO-krVliIJk1RUzEpr9wAhXkkiS352IfoOY-LQAostRe5jiqDsb0klki1OezAo4m0QY7SYvZvCJ5q7xHEBgGfmu3bmhOW-6REaHuLwDbJA0E~m06gdBSXntqCzSxuud1l4wabl2Rq6WkMdQzcFELSgEMDaiT5jNNAHZel5AN0m9do6bLSLybxYQma5ApX~PaQ4cQM-~xB~EzZMLDsGWd6C6zu0XeCVJOMjPmm3Gp-7AXNDVsa5iqOmuKY6I8kNbIBZBZMksLM20SmjjpYMxxZfjTDlZ~Qfk23b0-kywwCgCq5Mf5BOudvQ89lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Timothy Walsh, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 15 that he would bring “decisive decision making and disciplined project management” to the government’s nuclear cleanup program if confirmed.

The Office of Environmental Management (EM) oversees cleanup of waste and facilities produced during the Manhattan Project and Cold War, a mission the committee described as involving an annual budget “of more than $8,000,000,000,” most of which is spent through contracts. Walsh, a West Point graduate, combat veteran and chief executive of Confluence Companies, said his construction and project-management background positions him to lead the complex program.

Why it matters: EM is responsible for cleanup at multiple high-risk sites around the country, including Hanford in Washington state and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. Timely, funded work at these sites has both environmental and public-health implications and is governed by legal agreements and technical standards.

Questions from senators covered near-term operational issues and longstanding program commitments. Senator Heinrich asked about WIPP, the federal transuranic waste repository in New Mexico, and its elevator systems. Walsh acknowledged his familiarity with the facility and said the lift system “is absolutely in need of repair” and that, if confirmed, he would ensure a “serviceable lift system.” He added that he has not yet reviewed the program’s detailed budget until confirmation and briefings take place.

Senator Cantwell pressed Walsh on Hanford cleanup responsibilities, referencing the tri-party agreement and consent-decree milestones that guide cleanup work. Walsh said he understands those frameworks and “you have my commitment that we're gonna work together and that it's gonna be a priority in the office of environmental management.”

Walsh said he would prioritize strategic planning and collaboration “with all stakeholders including Congress, local communities, and the tribal nations,” and that he would focus on “the most pressing risks” through disciplined management. He described Rocky Flats — which he said lies about 16 miles north of Golden, Colorado — as an example of what the program can achieve.

The nominee pledged to provide answers for additional details in follow-up and to work with senators on Hanford and other high-priority issues. The committee did not take a confirmation vote at the hearing; written questions for the record were due the next day.

Provenance and next steps: Walsh’s answers and commitments were made under oath during his testimony. Should he be confirmed, departmental oversight and contractual accountability will determine execution and funding of cleanup milestones.","Timothy Walsh, nominated for assistant secretary of energy for environmental management, emphasized project management, accountability and collaboration with stakeholders on cleanup of Cold War nuclear sites. Senators pressed him on WIPP elevator repairs, Hanford cleanup milestones and program oversight.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Energy Committee questions nominee David Eisner on international energy priorities and ties to prior Treasury service

Lanny Erdos, nominee to lead OSMRE, vows to reduce permitting backlogs and work with states and tribes

Audrey Robertson, nominee for EERE, promises science-based leadership amid questions over cuts to renewable and grid programs

Nominee Timothy Walsh pledges focus on cleanup priorities, accountability at DOE environmental management office