Senate Panel Approves Rick Perry As Energy Secretary
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WASHINGTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has approved former Texas Governor Rick Perry to serve as Energy Secretary in President Donald Trump's administration.
Republicans are muscling more of Trump's Cabinet nominees to the cusp of Senate confirmation over Democratic objections, with committees poised Tuesday to advance his picks to head agencies amid partisan battles over health care, legal protections, education and the economy.
After Perry's approval, Senator John Cornyn issued a statement that said, in part -
"Under Rick Perry's leadership, Texas experienced innovative growth in our energy sector, which translated to more jobs and lower prices for families across our state. I'm confident he'll replicate this success at a national level."
Perry will now head the department that he once suggested be shut down. When the former governor ran for the 2012 presidency, during a debate, he famously forgot the name one of the three agencies he had pledged to eliminate.
"The third agency of government I would -- I would do away with Education, the -- Commerce... Commerce and, let's see. I can't. The third one, I can't. Sorry -- oops," he said.
Tuesday the committee voted 17-6 to approve Perry's nomination, sending it to the full Senate.
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