Senate Energy Committee Hears Opening Statement From President-elect Trump's Energy Secretary Nominee

At a confirmation hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, President-elect Trump's nominee for secretary of energy was sworn in, said he would appear before congressional committees to represent the department, disclosed no conflicts of interest or blind-trust holdings, and outlined priorities that include expanding U.S. energy production, accelerating energy-related technology innovation and reducing regulatory barriers to new projects.

The nominee, identified in the hearing as President-elect Trump's nominee for secretary of energy, answered three routine pre‑hearing questions from a committee member affirmatively and without qualification: he said he would be available to appear before committees, stated he was not aware of any personal holdings that would create a conflict of interest, and said he did not have assets held in a blind trust. A committee member administered the oath, asking, “Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” The nominee responded, “I do.”

In his opening remarks, the nominee described his background and framed three immediate tasks he would prioritize if confirmed. He said he is “a science geek turned tech nerd turned lifelong energy entrepreneur” and noted work with Liberty Energy, saying the company “works directly in oil, natural gas, next generation geothermal, and has partnerships in next generation nuclear energy and new battery technology.” He said he enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to work on fusion and began graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley, on solar energy and power electronics.

The nominee outlined three priorities: first, to “unleash American energy at home and abroad” by expanding production of energy sources including commercial nuclear and liquefied natural gas; second, to lead globally in innovation by protecting and accelerating work at the department's national laboratory network; and third, to “build things in America again” by removing federal barriers that he said make it “too easy to stop projects and very hard to start and complete projects.” He described these goals in terms of national security, economic competitiveness and lowering energy costs for U.S. families and businesses, saying, “The security of our nation begins with energy.”

He also stated responsibilities the department oversees beyond energy markets, mentioning stewardship of the nation's weapons stockpiles and meeting “cold war legacy waste commitments.” He committed to working with Congress on national laboratory missions and to advancing the administration’s energy agenda, saying, “If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable, and secure American energy.”

The transcript records no formal votes or additional committee questioning in the provided excerpt. The hearing portion covered by this record consists of the oath, the nominee's affirmative answers to the committee's preliminary questions about committee appearances and conflicts, and an opening statement laying out policy priorities.

Further proceedings, including any follow-up questions from senators or scheduling of additional hearings, were not recorded in the supplied transcript excerpt.