"Be transparent with us," Murkowski tells DOE and Interior nominees
MacGregor in 2019. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Senators from both parties pressed top DOE and Interior nominees on Wednesday to protect federal agency staffing and spending — and to keep lawmakers in the loop.
Why it matters: James Danly and Katharine MacGregor — if confirmed as deputy secretaries at DOE and Interior — would serve as the agencies' chief operating officers at a time when Elon Musk's DOGE targets funding and staff.
What they're saying: Sen. Lisa Murkowski told the nominees at their Senate Energy and Natural Resources confirmation hearing that she's concerned about the way many employees have been treated in the DOGE process.
- She asked the nominees to notify Congress of "any plans to reorganize, restructure or implement reductions in force."
- "Be transparent with us about what is coming," Murkowski said.
- Both committed to following the law regarding efficiency efforts.
Between the lines: Danly and MacGregor appeared more than two months after the committee held friendly hearings for DOE Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
- Since Wright and Burgum cruised to full Senate confirmation, the White House has moved to reduce staff, rescind congressionally appropriated dollars and end climate programs.
- The decision to rescind money "rests with Congress — not with the president, and certainly not with Elon Musk," Ranking Member Martin Heinrich said.
- Sen. John Hickenlooper — who introduced Wright during his confirmation hearing in January — said Coloradoans are "unnerved" about staffing and funding cuts.
Zoom in: "Actual rescissions, as far as I know, haven't occurred yet," said Danly, a former FERC commissioner.
- But he added: "President Trump has outlined a very bold vision to reduce waste in federal government spending, and I am absolutely dedicated to the same purpose."
- Sen. Alex Padilla pressed Danly to meet with staff at the California hydrogen hub — one funding recipient on the chopping block — before making any cuts.
- Danly said he could, but emphasized it would be premature to make any commitments.
Zoom out: Both nominees endorsed permitting changes that can speed mining and power infrastructure to meet rising energy demand.
- Danly said several iterations of the failed Manchin-Barrasso permitting reform bill looked "promising."
- MacGregor, who held multiple Interior jobs in Trump's first term, pledged to speed approvals for projects like road building, habitat conservation plans, and final resource management plans.
But Danly said he couldn't comment with certainty on how much IRA energy tax credits have spurred investment.
- "Certainly the tax credits had an effect on the capital market," he told Sen. Ron Wyden. "It is impossible to run the counterfactual to know what investment would occur to those tax credits not being there."
Reality check: Despite the DOGE concerns, both are likely to be confirmed.
