Heinrich Urges Trump DOE and DOI Nominees to Lower Energy Costs, Keep Americans Safe, and Maintain America’s Competitive Edge

WASHINGTON — In his opening statement, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, grilled several pending Trump Administration nominees on the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget request and his Big, Beautiful Betrayal bill, which will raise costs on American families by gutting investments in energy efficiency and clean energy programs. Ranking Member Heinrich additionally sought commitments to enforce surface mining laws and regulations, and pressed the nominees on the need to maintain U.S. competitiveness and secure global economic alliances with our allies.

The hearing considered the nominations of Lanny Erdos to be the Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement of the Department of the Interior; Audrey Robertson to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Timothy Walsh to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management, and David Eisner to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs. 

VIDEO: Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks on the nominations of several pending Trump Administration officials before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, July 9, 2025.

“One of President Trump’s first acts after being sworn in for his second term was to abandon our efforts to transition to a clean energy economy,” Heinrich said in his opening remarks, zeroing in on how Republicans will raise utility costs on American families with their cuts to critical programs. “The Department has announced plans to cut dozens of energy efficiency rules that save consumers hundreds of dollars on their utility bills annually. It has proposed a 74 percent reduction in next year’s budget for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. These cuts combined with the rollback of the clean energy tax credits in the reconciliation bill that Republicans supported will undoubtedly drive up energy prices.”

Heinrich continued, “The reconciliation bill alone is estimated to increase annual energy costs more than $16 billion in 2030 and more than $33 billion by 2035. And American families will bear those increased costs.  I need to ask you, Ms. Robertson, whether you intend to continue the Department’s longstanding efforts to improve energy efficiency and develop renewable energy sources or whether you plan to abandon those programs.”

A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.

A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:

Thank you, Chairman Lee.  And welcome Mr. Erdos, Ms. Robertson, Mr. Walsh, and Mr. Eisner.

The Committee meets today to consider nominations to four very different offices.

 They range from expertise in coal mining to energy efficiency and renewable energy; from cleaning up nuclear weapons sites to international affairs.

Two things that the four jobs have in common, however, is their importance and the responsibility the office holders will have to do well by the American people.

Our task this morning, as in every confirmation hearing, is to determine how the nominees we are asked to entrust with these important offices plan to use them to do well by the American people. 

Mr. Erdos has the advantage of having been nominated and confirmed to the position 5 years ago.   

And while much may have changed in the past 5 years, the need for the Office of Surface Mining to protect communities and the environment during mining, to restore the land after mining, and to reclaim abandoned mine lands remains as great as ever.

Indeed, the need may be even greater as this Administration seeks to increase coal production.

We need your assurance, Mr. Erdos, that you remain committed to enforcing our surface mining laws and regulations and to restoring and reclaiming abandoned mine lands.

Similarly, we seek assurances from you, Mr. Walsh, that you will work diligently to clean up the environmental legacy of the Manhattan Project and Cold War weapons sites. 

Secretary Wright testified last month that the Department remains committed to the cleanup program, and we want to hear that commitment from you as well.

I harbor greater concerns for your offices, Ms. Robertson and Mr. Eisner. One of President Trump’s first acts after being sworn in for his second term was to abandon our efforts to transition to a clean energy economy. 

The Department has announced plans to cut dozens of energy efficiency rules that save consumers hundreds of dollars on their utility bills annually.  

It has proposed a 74 percent reduction in next year’s budget for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

These cuts combined with the rollback of the clean energy tax credits in the reconciliation bill that Republicans supported will undoubtedly drive up energy prices.

The reconciliation bill alone is estimated to increase annual energy costs more than $16 billion in 2030 and more than $33 billion by 2035. And American families will bear those increased costs.

I need to ask you, Ms. Robertson, whether you intend to continue the Department’s longstanding efforts to improve energy efficiency and develop renewable energy sources or whether you plan to abandon those programs.

I am similarly concerned by the 40 percent reduction in the Department’s budget request for International Affairs and this Administration’s apparent disdain for our allies and global alliances. 

The work of DOE’s International Affairs office is critical to maintaining U.S. competitiveness and securing economic alliances with our allies. 

And I will seek your assurance, Mr. Eisner, that the Department will remain committed to working with our allies on international energy issues.

I look forward to hearing from our nominees on these and other issues this morning, and I appreciate their willingness to take on these important and challenging responsibilities.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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