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Senate Energy Committee reports four nominations favorably after roll-call votes
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Summary
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to report four administration nominees favorably to the full Senate during a brief May 8 business meeting, with recorded tallies for each roll call; one nomination drew notable opposition from Ranking Member Heinrich.
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on May 8 voted to report four nominations favorably to the full Senate following a short business meeting that preceded a hearing on three additional nominees.
Two of the committee's roll calls concluded with 14 ayes and 6 nays; one concluded with 14 ayes and 6 nays; and the Energy Information Administration nominee was reported by a 12–8 tally. Ranking Member Senator Heinrich said he would vote against the EIA nominee, saying, “So I will be voting no on this confirmation.”
Committee staff called the roll for each nomination. The committee first voted on the nomination of Dr. Andrea Travnik to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science; the clerk announced the vote result as "the ayes are 14 and the nays are 6," and the nomination was ordered to be reported favorably. The committee next voted to report Leslie Beyer to be Assistant Secretary for Lands and Mineral Development (reported 14–6). The committee then reported Theodore Gerrish to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy (reported 14–6).
The final business-meeting vote was on Tristan Abbey to be Administrator of the Energy Information Administration. The clerk announced, "On this vote, the ayes are 12 and the nays are 8, and the nomination is ordered to be reported favorably." Senator Heinrich had explained earlier that he planned to oppose Abbey, saying he was "deeply troubled by what is happening at the Energy Information Administration" after recent EIA actions and would therefore vote no.
The committee chairman said nominees who were reported favorably would be forwarded to the full Senate. After the votes, the committee proceeded into a hearing on three additional nominees for offices within the committee's jurisdiction.
Details of the roll calls, as read by the clerk, record multiple senators voting aye or no, including by proxy votes, and the formal announcements of vote tallies for each nomination.
