Deputy Energy Secretary confirmed with support of Sens. Lankford and Inhofe

 

With the support of Oklahoma U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford, David M. Turk won confirmation in the full Senate on Wednesday to be the Deputy Secretary of Energy.

The vote was 98-2 for Turk, who served on the National Security Council and in the State Department during the Obama administration and cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in an unanimous vote earlier in the month.

Republican Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) were the only senators to vote against Turk’s confirmation in the full Senate vote on Wednesday.

Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on which Oklahoma Sen. Lankford serves led the voting for Turk.

“During his confirmation hearing, he demonstrated that he has the knowledge and the practical experience in energy, national security, and management that he will need to help Secretary Granholm lead the Department of Energy,” said Sen. Manchin.

Even Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, another member of the committee joined in supporting Turk. He praised Turk and highlighted their mutual support for carbon capture technology.

“Mr. Turk was also very responsive to the committee’s questions, for the record. That has not been the case for every one of President Biden’s nominees so far,” said Barrasso.

“Coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables are all essential to America’s energy mix. Mr. Turk demonstrated that he understood that reality during his nomination hearing.”