[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 36 (Thursday, February 25, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NOMINATION OF JENNIFER MULHERN GRANHOLM

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I am proud to stand today in support of 
Jennifer Granholm's nomination to be the next Secretary of Energy.
  I have known Secretary-designate Granholm for many years, and I 
served in her administration while she was Governor. There is no 
question she is uniquely qualified to serve as Secretary of Energy. As 
the Governor of Michigan, she led our State through an economic crisis. 
She knows how to deal with multifaceted challenges and has a documented 
record of strong leadership.
  During her confirmation hearing, Jennifer Granholm outlined three key 
missions that she wants to prioritize in her new role: one, 
strengthening national security, particularly on nuclear 
nonproliferation through the National Nuclear Security Administration; 
two, supporting the research and development at scientific research 
facilities all across our Nation; and, three, utilizing that research 
to create new, good-paying jobs for Americans. All of these issues are 
issues that Jennifer Granholm has been focused on throughout her entire 
career.
  As Governor, she worked to support groundbreaking research that is 
conducted at Michigan's world-class institutions--research that is 
constantly leading to new discoveries that will change the world to 
create jobs and save lives. As Governor, Jennifer Granholm secured 
bipartisan support to establish the 21st Century Jobs Fund, which 
leveraged funding to diversify Michigan's economy, create jobs in clean 
energy by attracting new business investments, and put Michigan on a 
better path.
  Those are the kinds of actions and investments that I look forward to 
working closely with Secretary-designate Granholm on in the coming 
months and in the coming years, and it is clear that she also 
recognizes what must be done to advance our Nation's energy interests, 
because she has already achieved results in Michigan.
  If we are going to build back better, we must do so in a sustainable, 
forward-thinking way that addresses climate change. That is something 
President Biden's administration is committed to doing, and I know 
Secretary Granholm is as well. I could not be more excited to say that 
we will have a fellow Michigander leading the Department of Energy, and 
I urge all of my colleagues to support her confirmation.
  I yield the floor.

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