[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 24, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Nomination of David Turk

  Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, today the Senate is going to vote on 
the nomination of David Turk, who will be serving as Deputy Secretary 
of Energy. If confirmed, he is going to play a critical role in our 
Nation's energy agenda and in leading the Department.
  His experience in energy policy is extensive. He served in leadership 
positions at the International Energy Agency, the U.S. Department of 
Energy, the U.S. Department of State, and the National Security 
Council. He is an expert in the field, and his qualifications are very 
clear.
  It is also clear from his nomination hearing that he is dedicated to 
all types of American energy. This is critical if we are going to keep 
America an energy-dominant nation. I especially appreciated his 
commitment to advance nuclear and carbon capture utilization and 
sequestration technologies.
  During his hearing, he said that there are huge opportunities on 
carbon capture utilization and sequestration if we can work together 
and really go to scale. He also emphasized the need to construct 
CO2 pipelines to move the captured carbon, and I agree. 
Carbon capture technologies hold the key to major emission reduction 
while enabling America to use the tremendous natural resources with 
which we are blessed.
  This issue has broad bipartisan support. Last Congress, I worked with 
Democrats, including Sheldon Whitehouse and Tom Carper, as well as 
Republicans, including Shelley Moore Capito, to pass the USE IT Act 
into law. This bipartisan law will support the development of carbon 
capture and direct air capture techniques.
  This kind of groundbreaking research is already happening in Wyoming. 
The Integrated Test Center located outside of Gillette, WY, is hosting 
carbon capture research teams today. These research teams are looking 
at how we can take captured carbon emissions and transform them into 
marketable products like building materials, clothing, and even hand 
sanitizer. So I would welcome Mr. Turk and Energy Secretary Granholm to 
come to Gillette to see the fantastic research taking place there.
  Mr. Turk was also very responsive to the committee's questions for 
the record. That has not been the case with every one of President 
Biden's nominees so far.
  If he is confirmed, Mr. Turk must prioritize policies that take 
advantage of the enormous economic and national security benefits 
generated by America's oil, natural gas, and coal resources.
  The Biden administration has taken a sledgehammer to the economies of 
Wyoming and other Western States by declaring war on these natural 
resources. Let me be very clear: Coal, oil and natural gas are not 
going away. America is going to rely on these resources for decades to 
come. We need to use and promote every kind of American energy and the 
thousands of jobs that come with them
  Coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables are all 
essential to America's energy mix. Mr. Turk demonstrated that he 
understood that reality during his nomination hearing. He can be sure 
that I will hold him to the commitments he made during his nomination 
hearing to expand carbon capture as well as nuclear power. I am going 
to continue to hold the Biden administration accountable as well.
  As I did in committee, I will support Mr. Turk's nomination on the 
floor today.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.