The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Wednesday morning in an 11-to-nine vote advanced the nomination of Tim Walsh to head the Department of Energy’s $8-billion Office of Environmental Management.
Ranking member Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led the committee Democrats in voting against Walsh and two other nominees, in an identical partisan split in something of a protest vote.
“Until this administration respects the will of congress,” Heinrich said he was inclined to vote against upcoming nominees from President Donald Trump.
Heinrich prefaced his remarks by saying during the first Trump administration he would have voted in favor of both Walsh and the other two nominees. But the New Mexico Democrat said he has soured upon the current crop of Trump nominees closing offices and taking actions against congressional intent.
“We have had nominee after nominee come before this committee and assure us they would follow the law and respect the will of congress,” Heinrich said. Once they take office it has been a different story.
For his part, Senate Energy Chair Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), expressed irritation by partisan wrangling by Democrats. Nominees are endorsed by Senate committees only to face “stall and delay tactics when we get to the Senate floor.”
Walsh’s nomination can now advance to the Senate floor.
After being nominated by Trump in March, Walsh, a former Army commander and successful real estate developer in Colorado, testified before the Senate panel in early July.