More than five years after he famously forgot the name of the Energy Department, and later vowed to abolish the agency, Rick Perry's nomination to become U.S. Secretary of Energy was approved today by a U.S. Senate committee, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The vote was 16-8. The nomination now goes to the full Senate, which is certain to approve it.
During his confirmation hearings, Perry promised to 'promote and develop all forms of American energy,' and in a statement, he apologized for once vowing to eliminate the Energy Department.
"My past statements made over five years ago about abolishing the Department of Energy do not reflect my current thinking," Perry said. "In fact, after being briefed on so many of the vital functions of the Department of Energy, I regret recommending its elimination.
"Opponents of his nomination painted Perry as a 'cheerleader for the oil and gas industry," although Perry pointed out that, under his watch, Texas became the number one producer of wind power, and once of the largest solar power creators.
Perry was also targeted by a debunked and retracted story in the New York Times, which falsely claimed that, when he was nominated by President Trump, Perry was not aware that the Energy Department is the custodian of the material for the country's nuclear weapons. Perry pointed out that much of that material is stored in Texas.
Perry was also accused of being a 'denier' of climate change, and the former governor stressed he will listen to and respect all scientific opinion.
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