WASHINGTON — Utah Sen. Mike Lee announced Monday that he has postponed President-elect Donald Trump’s confirmation hearing to lead the Interior Department for two days.
Lee, chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, postponed Tuesday’s hearing with former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum until Thursday.
“Governor Doug Burgum was fully cooperative throughout the confirmation process and promptly submitted his paperwork to the Office of Government Ethics,” Lee wrote in a statement. “Despite its compliance and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s acknowledgment of the hearing in accordance with all rules, OGE has not yet completed its review. This bureaucratic delay is unacceptable.”
Lee wrote that the additional 48 hours were intended to give the Office of Government Ethics a little more time to complete its work, but cautioned that the agency should work quickly.
“To ensure transparency and preserve the integrity of this process, the Committee will postpone Governor Burgum’s hearing until Thursday,” Lee wrote. “However, we assume that OGE will act quickly and complete the audit without further unnecessary delays. The American people deserve a government that works efficiently to advance their priorities, and we remain committed to ensuring these important confirmations move forward as quickly as possible.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., both expressed concerns last week that Burgum’s hearing took place before certain documents were submitted to the committee.
“The Senate has a constitutional duty to consider and, if it so chooses, to approve the President’s nominees. This requires careful consideration of each candidate,” Heinrich wrote in a statement released last week. “To accomplish this, for decades nominees presented to the ENR Committee have been required to submit responses to a standard questionnaire and a completed financial disclosure form, approval from the Department’s Office of Ethics, and completion of an FBI background check. Until these steps are completed, I will not agree to announce nomination hearings.
“Every candidate, every party, every government should be held to the same standards. I would urge Chairman Lee to reconsider his decision.”
Heinrich and seven other Democrats on the committee as well as an independent left a letter On Monday morning, he urged Lee to postpone the hearing until the panel “receives the standard financial disclosure report, ethics agreement, or opinions from the agency’s designated ethics officer and the Office of Government Ethics indicating that the nominee is in compliance with ethics laws.” .” ”
“Given that the Committee still does not have these documents essential to the proper exercise of our constitutional advice and consent duties, we respectfully request that you postpone the scheduled nomination hearing for Governor Burgum for at least one week, to provide members with adequate time to receive and review these materials,” the lawmakers wrote.
Those lawmakers included Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Angus King, an independent from Maine, Alex Padilla, D-California. and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
Last updated on January 13, 2025 at 2:14 p.m
