ENR Advances Bernhardt, Combs, and Jorjani Nominations
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) today held a business meeting to advance the following nominees to the Senate floor:
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) today held a business meeting to advance the following nominees to the Senate floor:
- Mr. David Bernhardt to be Secretary of the Department of the Interior;
- Ms. Susan Combs to be Assistant Secretary of Interior for Policy, Management, and Budget; and
- Ms. Aimee Jorjani to be Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Chairman Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, supported all three nominations as ENR favorably reported Combs and Jorjani by voice vote. Bernhardt was favorably reported by a bipartisan vote of 14 to 6.
“Mr. Bernhardt has the right background and the right experience to be an excellent Secretary of the Interior. He has twice been confirmed to positions at the Department with bipartisan support. He is from the west, he has great familiarity with the issues that will come before him, and he has proven that he can ably lead the Department,” Murkowski said. “Ms. Combs and Ms. Jorjani are both well-qualified and non-controversial, yet their nominations now have been pending for a total of 632 days and 382 days, respectively. This is unacceptable. I strongly urge my colleagues to work with me to expedite the confirmation of these nominees – and all ENR nominees still pending on the Senate calendar.”
The Senate previously confirmed Bernhardt as Deputy Secretary of the Interior with bipartisan support in July 2017, and he has served as Acting Secretary since January 2019.
President Trump initially nominated Combs and Jorjani in the 115th Congress and re-nominated them earlier this year. Today marks the third time the committee has favorably reported Combs. She was favorably reported by voice vote on August 3, 2017, and again on January 30, 2018. Jorjani was favorably reported by voice vote on May 17, 2018.
Murkowski is chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
