The Senate, in a bipartisan fashion, voted Monday evening to confirm fracking executive Chris Wright as secretary of Energy.
Senators voted 59 to 38 with seven Democrats and one independent joining their Republican colleagues to confirm Wright. Senate Democrats who supported Wright included Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, New Hampshire Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen and New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lújan. Independent Maine Sen. Angus King also voted in favor of Wright’s nomination.
Wright becomes Trump’s ninth cabinet nominee to secure confirmation, placing the president’s nominees on a much faster schedule to securing confirmation when compared to former President Joe Biden’s nominees.
Wright, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 15, said he would “unleash American energy at home and abroad.”
“Energy has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I have never been shy about that fact,” Wright said in his prepared remarks during the confirmation hearing. “President Trump shares my passion for energy and, 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 security of our nation begins with energy,” Wright said. “Previous administrations have viewed energy as a liability instead of the immense national asset that it is. To compete globally, we must expand energy production, including commercial nuclear and liquified natural gas, and cut the cost of energy.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, on the Senate floor prior to the nominee’s confirmation vote, said Wright was qualified to lead the Department of Energy.
“He’s seen what energy can do to improve human lives, bring people out of poverty and remake entire societies,” Thune said of Wright. “He knows it’s [energy] one of our most important assets. And he’s ready to get to work.”
Wright cleared the Senate ENR Committee during a bipartisan vote of 15-5.
Wright is the founder and CEO of Liberty Energy, a Colorado-based fracking firm.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screen Capture/CSPAN)
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