Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Democrats who supported Trump's picks for DOE and Interior in committee think those agencies will continue to faithfully send IRA money out the door.
Why it matters: Trump paused IRA and infrastructure law spending with a first-day executive order. His effort to avoid spending the billions of dollars that are left is one of the biggest climate questions of the new administration.
Driving the news: "You have to ask, basically, will the nominees color within the lines of what their legal counsels tell them?" Sen. Martin Heinrich, Energy and Natural Resources' ranking member, told reporters after Thursday's markup.
- "… And I certainly got good answers from both of them on those issues."
- ENR moved both DOE nominee Chris Wright and Interior pick Doug Burgum to the floor in bipartisan votes. Heinrich supported both, as did several other Democrats.
What they're saying: Both Heinrich and Sen. John Hickenlooper said they believe Wright explicitly promised to spend the money as appropriated.
- When Heinrich asked during the hearing what he'd do if the White House directed DOE not to spend money that had been appropriated, Wright replied, "The only way I roll would be to follow the laws and statutes of the United States of America."
- "He said that privately as well," Hickenlooper told reporters. "I've known him for 12, 14 years.… I'm not aware of him saying something that was untrue."
- Heinrich added that a nominee who would explicitly follow the law "has a lot of value in and of itself right now."
What we're watching: Both nominees should get bipartisan votes on the floor as soon as next week.
- EPA pick Lee Zeldin, who won EPW confirmation on a party-line vote, should also get a confirmation vote soon.
