[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] cement the will to lead but to the next cabinet lovell, bernie confirmation been delayed to start by thinking the senior senator from texas to be fair to speak on behalf of the nominees. Also the fellow Committee Member from West Virginia prepared to offer introductory remarks for a a warm welcome to you and your family your willingness to become our next secretary of energy for. I enjoyed flu at federal of learning more about your leadership in texas and your accomplishments in the area of energy and environment. I love riffled will withhold any comments texas side is verses alaska size and i won. [laughter] we know you lars seeking half to lead had an interesting and critical time helping to make our nation a Global Leader of research and development encouraging scientific exploration to foster innovation. And with those laboratories but the greatest asset those that dedicate not just to their careers to those toughest challenges that face of world and if you are concerned u. N. Take a broad view and continue to pursue those significant benefits and done right a good set of innovation policies will provide more energy, reduce what we use and low were the cost repay. In my view those are the Guiding Principles for the department. Moving to increase access to make energy more affordable and continue to improve environmental goals. There are a set of principles affordable there is no acronym by some that up in one Bumper Sticker that says energy is good and i hope that you believe as well. If these are your goals than we can greatly contribute to the prosperity to the standard of living and the health of our planet for falls into fresh turf for the department of energy steps up for energies of fife pdf regardless of the consequences with the management with thousands of employees or contractors. I do not subscribe to the view only a scientist can manage other scientist but we each need a manager to manage them that technologists maybe i dont know everything but is capable to organize, set direction, and make the greatest possible use of taxpayer dollars to reach goals. Governor perry as a long this serving governor you have experience to lead a very sophisticated enterprise berger i do believe that will serve you well ill look 42 how you carry that over to the department. Also in to make Good Progress that have historical the frustrated the department but recognize there is more that could be done. To utilize limited resources with unnecessary duplication. I know you made a commitment to travel to my state and as you have visited two other members to make similar commandments but i do appreciate your willingness to see my home state first and what all the department of interior makes the Headlines Department of energy is very important and the best three key ways i can point out is what i can do to reduce i energy cost in the state of alaska. It is the greatest challenge in our rule Community Many communities are relying on diesel. Many small interior communities that our inaccessible by road to get a barge twice per year they could have fuel prices at nine return dollars a gallon. That is roughly fulfill we have been here 1,000 years but they leave the villages but that is not the right choice. Our challenge should be to help them find those solutions. This is where we could offer opportunity because we have been innovative and we have a lot to share with the of rest of the country how we can find energy solutions. With more artur talk about than anywhere else in the country. So use that expertise i think there are some great opportunities natalies and alaska and around the country to coproduce energy cost and it could be that proving ground but if you have new technologies that make sense we can pretty much guarantee it will make sense in alaska and we are the beneficiary want to see the department make of much greater effort the second way is to bring the natural gas to market. It granted a conditional export license but we have to continue receiving good support for if the project will succeed. Finally to help commercialize more of the vast Resource Base fossil energy focuses almost exclusively on the environmental aspects of fuels but the mission is to be broader than that with Competitive Research on resources leading to new breakthroughs with our security long into the future. But this committee has a reputation we have along with our colleagues been able to move of ball for word and we have been able to do that in part to have a good positive relationship with the current secretary of energy. I do think he has done well and i did not always agree with him coming it was a working relationship that was solid so with that respect working with us to make yourself available for to keep in contact for stay in touch if you can do that you are on the right track and we will Work Together to maintain energy leadership. Thanks for your being here and your willingness to serve now i turn to the Ranking Member. Welcome to your family congratulations on your nomination. And casey may have forgotten you once called for the abolishment of this agency. I suspect that now having a chance to learn about the importance of of this department you have a very different opinion. As the chair pointed out plays an essential goal to protect National Security security, energy and Environmental Security and of why did rajiv mission with those efforts and to help us when the cold war. It is important we talk about the steadfast determination of cleanup for also threats as National Security evolves as the review was done by be obama secretary Emergency Responses are critical. Just as the advanced Research Agency helped us it is just time to help us of the of wired economy of the future to make sure it is well protected it is the job of the next Energy Secretary to maintain the achievements of the past 20 years of the competitive global marketplace to protect the grand from these growing threats of cybersecurity. Beating our lab is a critical aspect of the of leadership and is paramount today is our job to consider how well you will do that job. I am deeply concerned what you have said in the past about Climate Science. Believe it is the consensus that clementine is real and happening now due to human activity. Yesterday nasa announced 46 scene was the warmest year on record for in the arctic were warming is happening faster any place on earth the melting devices that the of 55. Off because the department if energy does the research fell off. So Climate Science is not just something the department of energy in the partners are doing but people understand what we need the information for important decisions the nature and pace have serious impacts for our department of defense to stand up in the arctic. We are an articulation and that means this will be coveted by many nations. The shipping lanes, a trade routes will be central. As a senator could tell you deification for our communities and way of life is impacted. For in my state the fisheries and shellfish was almost devastated by Ocean Acidification so the scientific hp is key to wonder standing the trend so i hope you can understand there is widespread anxiety about the president elect faugh to starve these resources. We hope and governor perry will be someone who understands and believes in the Science Mission of this agency and will lead to the best of your abilities. Mission innovation that is the priority and continuing to move forward is critically important almost 2 million americans work in Energy Efficiency alone driving double digit savings by these advancements the review estimates we need 1. 5 million of new energy jobs by 2030 which is greeted modernization and energy related. But we have seen through the innovation 1 2 half of privatesector individuals cost of fertility solar has dropped 64 that leads all forms of energy refute capacity. Energy efficiency in buildings give back billions in savings were the 115,000 electric vehicles were sold bubbling 2012. And to bring down the cost through batter research on battery technology. These innovations rely on those investments from the department of energy so the choice before us in my opinion is pretty clear. The trump the administration can claim to the fossil fuel industry of the pasteur lead on ecovation of the of the technologies in the world to put us in a clear leadership position. I hope you understand it is so important to. Also the of mission of Nuclear Waste cleanup the science and technology that hinges on our ability to protect us against nonproliferation. At mentioned earlier it could not be more clear on the urgency of cyber cybersecurity. Of the secretary of energy needs to take very seriously the threat to this nation of our electricity grid. Erp coming off a wired economy our offensive to less fadeyev night if they developing new technology and they deserve a president and other key secretary to will take the threats of russian hacking seriously to defend us. Pecan go into more detail about this in the questions but i want to make sure you understand how the current secretary is leaving you with a road map by hope you take that to provide the leadership we need to stop the vulnerabilities against something so important as protecting the innovation economy by foreign entities. On behalf of the 15,000 washington and workers i hope you will take what we said very seriously and afford to ask depressions and fat one negative congratulations for being agency faugh. At this time we will ask senator to provide his introduction of the nominee and once completed we will proceed to hear from governor perry. To the chairman and Ranking Member and colleagues, thanks for holding this hearing and nomination of my friend governor perry to be secretary of the department of energy and i have the opportunity to introduce stiffer. I also want to introduce his wife to in is here today and his extended family including his adopted family with him today and he can introduce them cut. My wife and i got to know him if his wife when we ran for state wide office in 1990 half. He served in the air force and the legislature before being deflected as agriculture commissioner of texas and was flooded to Texas Supreme Court the same year the inflator please assume the office of governor of the state of tough texas along the serving governor in our state. Serving in Public Office give you a chance to assess their character and fidelitys. I know governor perry to be a tremendous leader of the highest falloff comment dement tremendous Public Servant will fluff on behalf of the nation. Rick perry is not a status quo he is a leader, innovator, texans by nature are practical fluff looking for some khrushchev solutions and i believe the results of state for themselves. We have them blessed by his leadership the state thrived even as the country languished. Faugh put job procrastination 2007 for 24 nerc fob five negative 45 loss of life was the top exporting fief in the country. The fine for a profit flourish even more to brag about. Put the real leader is tested in hardship and trial flat wildfires or hurricanes where the explosions of less typhus fertilizer west texas fertilizer plant he could rise to the occasion to be flagella shot. On top of that he has a track preferred the success of the landscape that is from uh will and Gas Industries could food fair the food typify all of the above Energy Strategy for revolutionize production for but produces more wind energy than any other state in the country. Solar energy has continued to grow and texas is a National Leader as wall n making energy more affordable for texas families. He did not fall into that trap when we talk about energy. He found a way to spur innovation without stifling existing technology in reducing the state Carbon Footprint as well. Those Guiding Principles are smart regulation regulation, encouraging innovation and creating a climate that grows every aspect and continues to serve the state well. Fifteen have no doubt will put forward to spawn the next great era of American Energy. He has a track record and the knowhow to export to enhance security of friends and allies abroad. Feel simply the right man for the job and it is an honor to support his nomination to be the third texan to head the department of energy for. The Ranking Member and mcauliffe and governor perry and his love life and their daughter and extended family. I know you might think it is interesting i am sitting here for the of laugh to fly a former wife a will forward a friendship id like any other official we travel, we Work Together and have the same problem education education, disaster be call each other all the time. I am here to support my friend so we do develop friendships. And also senator rick dodge for the longest serving governor in the history of texas and is uniquely qualified to hold this position. We have been friends and i know he anders stands how to work across the aisle to get things done i have seen that person and. I was honored to call him my colleague as they become part of your family and with my tenure as governor of west region yeah. In the year 2005 the weekend of Hurricane Katrina faugh weaver at a southern governors conference. I have not met him before but we meet tour three times per year and the governor from louisiana could not be there because she was told for the hurricane would have a devastating impact on her staff. The roof talking and watching with different fashions you want to take to protect your citizens. He had to get back and i had to get back on the last day i said do you think it will affect you put c. Said edges talk to overflow in tax this free facilities baird. Despaired the fed had a lot madoff wafer office of the devastation those that flu flu texas fever overruff in did not have the support from the floor reading for someone to direct deaths the week took initiative were all flanders and chief vice said what can be duplex we sent over 1200 soldiers up to help them to move supplies and move people out they have nowhere to go for the West Virginia and a collaboration how government should work and how we should Work Together for felt for watching any tough defending fallen into step the fan food fit deal reached out to help. His managerial skills on display. We did not know you have to get up to speed quick. Nobody gave us some manual so i have no doubt that rick will not only do the job but excel. With the texas Energy Portfolio the number one producer to be heavy lifting to do the heavy work to provide for this country he does have that tenacity if fletcher of gas and electricity and from the campaign trail the air quality significantly improves like nitrogen oxide to spike population growth than he can talk about that he cultivated wind energy that is now the leader and coming on strong. I believe he possesses all of the above. With that, im proud to support my friend, my colleague. We appreciate the comments from both of you gentlemen. Thank you for providing this introduction. At this time i would ask you to please come forward. Before asking for the Opening Statement i will ask for the oath customary in hearings for just this onsuchas this one ande question. At this time if you could raise your hand, the rules of the committee that applies to all nominees and required a a before and in connection with their thr care testimony. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give to the Senate Committee on energy and Natural Resources shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth . You may be seated. Im going to ask you three questions addressed to each nominee before the committee. The first is will you be available to appear before the committee to represent departmental positions and respond to issues of concern to the Congress Backs i welcome your honor. Are you aware of any interests that could constitute a conflict or create an appearance of such conflict should you be confirmed and assumed the office by which you are nominated . Are you involved or do you have any assets held in blind trust . I do not. You ma you may proceed with your statement. Is your microphone on . Already the committee is being helpful and supportive. [laughter] and i found nothing but bad in my time i tiny niche of your offices, so thank you all for your hospitality. Madam chair, and i want to say to each of you great thanks. Member cantwell thank you for your wisdom and interaction. All the distinguished members of the committee thank you for allowing me to come in and share with you to let me listen to your concerns it is an honor for me to be president elects Trump Nominee for the secretary. The individual discussions that weve had in your offices and some cases over the phone afterwards have been most important, the most important aspect of the process. I want to thank senator murkowski and senator cantwell again. You both spoke passionately about the priorities of this country and do the things that affect the Energy Policy. You may be from different Political Parties but as i noted during those meetings, what you have in common both if you talked pa