Burgum at his confirmation hearing. Photo: Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary in a bipartisan vote.
Why it matters: Burgum will lead President Trump's efforts to expand oil and gas drilling on public lands and deal with any energy-related fallout from the administration's funding freeze.
Driving the news: The former North Dakota governor and onetime 2024 presidential aspirant cleared the Senate in a 79-18 vote.
- Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was among the Democrats who voted "no."
- Burgum previously advanced out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with an 18-2 vote.
What they're saying: Majority Leader John Thune praised Burgum's record as governor and said he would "bring the same data-driven, consensus-based, think-big work ethic to his work as Secretary of the Interior."
- During his confirmation hearing, Burgum made the case for speedier permitting and putting more baseload power — namely, coal, nuclear and oil and gas — onto the grid.
- "We have a shortage of electricity, and especially we have a shortage of baseload," he told the committee. "We know that we have the technology to deliver clean coal."
Between the lines: Burgum is also slated to lead Trump's National Energy Council — which has yet to be formally created — and will have a seat on the National Security Council.
- He'll likely have coordinating permitting and production efforts across agencies and will be at the center of Trump's energy emergency executive order.
