Committee Reviews Nominees for ARPA-E, DOE General Counsel
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider two additional nominees for the Department of Energy (DOE). The nominees are William Cooper to be General Counsel and Lane Genatowski to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
In her opening statement, Murkowski noted that Cooper’s years of experience in the House of Representatives and in private practice will help him provide legal advice to Secretary Perry and ensure the department’s operations are in full compliance with the law.
“The general counsel position requires an independent individual who is committed to a careful interpretation of both the law and precedent, regardless of how that advice may be received. That, in turn, requires both confidence and backbone,” Murkowski said.
Murkowski also welcomed Genatowski, who has been tapped to lead ARPA-E, an important arm of DOE tasked with developing high-risk, high-reward energy technologies.
“ARPA-E is helping to bridge the gap on high-risk research and development technologies that have promise but might not otherwise be pursued,” Murkowski said. “This is difficult work, but the program is pushing boundaries and producing results, and that’s why it has garnered strong support from both sides of our committee. The ARPA-E director will be working with and leading many of our nation’s best and brightest minds, to develop technologies that can transform our world for the better.”
When asked by Murkowski if he would be an aggressive advocate within the administration to provide a strong budget for ARPA-E moving forward, Genatowski pledged that he would be.
Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. An archived video and witness testimony from today’s hearing are available on the committee’s website. Click here and here to view Murkowski’s questions for the nominees.
