Committee Reviews Two Energy Nominees

March 15, 2018

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to consider two nominees for the Department of Energy (DOE). The nominees were Ted Garrish to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs and James Campos to be Director of the Office of Minority Impact.  

Murkowski opened the hearing by thanking both nominees for their willingness to serve our country and highlighting their qualifications for the roles.

“Mr. Garrish has a long and distinguished career of service, beginning with the Department of Justice, and a few tours through the Department of Energy,” Murkowski said. “The position of Assistant Secretary for International Affairs is quite important and requires partnership and cooperation with countries around the world for research and development activities, facilitating energy trade and investment, or promoting American leadership as we engage in bilateral and multilateral energy treaties and obligations.”

“Mr. Campos will have the opportunity to strengthen diversity not only within the Department of Energy, but also within the greater energy and scientific community as a whole,” Murkowski continued. “Our nation would benefit from a more diverse workforce in the STEM fields, and we want to ensure opportunities exist for minority students to engage deeply in these fields.”

During the hearing, Murkowski asked Garrish for his perspective on U.S. engagement in the Arctic, and asked Campos to visit Alaska to meet with DOE Office of Indian Energy employees to gain a firsthand understanding of the energy challenges faced in many of the state’s remote villages.

Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. An archived video and witness testimony from today’s hearing are available on the committee’s website. Click here and here to view Murkowski’s questions for the nominees.