Murkowski Votes to Confirm New Interior Deputy Secretary
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after voting to confirm David Bernhardt to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior. The Senate confirmed Bernhardt through a bipartisan vote of 53–43.
“Mr. Bernhardt is an excellent choice for Deputy Secretary,” Murkowski said. “His extensive experience and knowledge of issues that are important to Alaskans and western states will enable him to be a great asset to the Department. He will be a very capable second-in-command for Secretary Zinke, and I look forward to working with him to restore balance to the management of our federal lands.”
Murkowski spoke on the Senate floor before voting in favor of Bernhardt’s nomination, which was supported by a broad coalition of groups including the National Congress of American Indians, Ducks Unlimited, Safari Club International, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Murkowski is chairman of both the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which have jurisdiction over the Department of the Interior. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee favorably reported Bernhardt’s nomination on a bipartisan basis on June 6, 2017.
