{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senate-western-caucus-urges-prompt-confirmation-of-interior-nominees", "Senate Western Caucus Urges Prompt Confirmation of Interior Nominees", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "MT", "Steve Daines", "D000618", "www.daines.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.17.17\n\t\t\t Senate Western Caucus Urges Prompt Confirmation of Interior Nominees \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tU.S. SENATE\u00a0\u2014Chairman of the Senate Western Caucus, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (MT), was joined by\u00a015 Senators in leading members of the Senate Western Caucus in urging U.S. Senate leadership to prioritize confirmation\u00a0of nominees\u00a0important to the West.\r\nIn a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Charles Schumer, the Senate Western Caucus drew attention to the languishing nominations of Joseph Balash to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, Susan Combs to be Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget, Ryan Nelson to be Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior and Brenda Burman to be Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.\u00a0On the same day as the letter was sent, the Senate confirmed Burman?.\r\n\u201cAs you proceed in scheduling the next nominations to bring to the floor, we urge you to make these well-qualified nominees a top priority,\u201d\u00a0the members wrote.\u00a0\u201cA fully staffed DOI is essential to implementing the Senate\u2019s bipartisan objectives for responsible energy and natural resource development, stewardship of our public lands, and creating good paying jobs that will benefit not only western states, but the U.S. economy as a whole.\u201d\r\nThe letter is also signed by\u00a0Sens. John McCain (AZ), Jeff Flake (AZ), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Sullivan (AK), Mike Enzi (WY),\u00a0Mike Crapo (ID), James Risch (ID),\u00a0Dean Heller (NV), Mike Lee (UT),\u00a0John\u00a0Barrasso (R-WY), Cory Gardner (CO), Orrin Hatch (UT), John Hoeven (UT), John Boozman (AR), and Bill Cassidy (LA).\u00a0\r\nAssistant Secretary, Land & Minerals Management\u00a0\r\n \r\nJoseph Balash, Trump Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 114 days (pending)\r\nWilma Lewis, Obama Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 93 days\r\nRebecca Watson, Bush Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 9 days\u00a0\r\nRobert Armstrong, Clinton Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 41 days\r\n \r\nSolicitor, Department of the Interior\r\n \r\nRyan Nelson, Trump Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0106 days (pending)\r\nHilary Tompkins, Obama Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a078 days\r\nWilliam Myers, Bush Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a050 days\u00a0\r\nDrew Days, Clinton Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a051 days\r\n \r\nAssistant Secretary, Policy Management & Budget\r\n \r\nSusan Combs, Trump Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 128 days (pending)\r\nRhea Suh, Obama Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a028 days\r\nPatricia Lynn Scarlett, Bush Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 59 days\r\nKenneth Apfel, Clinton Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a027 days\r\n \r\nCommissioner, Bureau of Reclamation\r\n \r\nBrenda Burman, Trump Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 140 days\r\nMichael Connor, Obama Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 31 days\r\nJohn Keys, Bush Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 28 days\r\nDoris Meissner, Clinton Nominee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a038 days\r\n \r\nThe letter is available below and to download\u00a0HERE:\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Mitch McConnell\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Charles Schumer\r\nMajority Leader\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Minority Leader\r\nU.S. Senate\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 U.S. Senate\r\nWashington, DC 20510\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Washington, DC 20510\r\nDear Senators McConnell and Schumer,\u00a0\r\nAs members of the Senate Western Caucus, we urge you to continue to prioritize executive nominations important to the west. Specifically, we would like to bring to your attention four more well-qualified nominees to the Department of the Interior (DOI), reported favorably out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources by a voice vote, and ask that you promptly confirm them.\u00a0\r\n \r\nPresident Trump nominated Joseph Balash, a native of North Pole, Alaska, to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management on July 25, 2017. Prior to Mr. Balash\u2019s service as Chief of Staff to Senator Dan Sullivan (AK), he was Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, which has jurisdiction over more than 140 million acres of upland and submerged lands, containing some of the nation\u2019s most critical energy and mineral resources. Mr. Balash\u2019s western state-based experience as Commissioner and his federal experience in the Senate makes him uniquely qualified for this position at a time when responsibly developing our nation\u2019s resources and creating jobs are among our highest priorities. His nomination has been pending for 114 days, longer than his predecessors in the past 25 years.\r\n  \r\nSusan Combs, a rancher from Big Bend, Texas, was nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget on July 11, 2017. Ms. Combs has had a long and successful career both in business and in public service, including as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, as Texas\u2019 Agricultural Commissioner, and as Texas\u2019 Comptroller of Public Accounts. In her time as Comptroller, she successfully managed complex tax issues and streamlined bureaucracy to make it both more efficient and more accountable to taxpayers. Her proven management track record in the public and private sectors is crucial to making DOI more efficient and effective and helping ensure responsible stewardship of western lands. Her nomination has been pending for 128 days, longer than her predecessors in the past 25 years.\u00a0\r\n  \r\nRyan Nelson, a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was nominated to be Solicitor of DOI on August 2, 2017. Mr. Nelson has a breadth of experience in the public sector, having worked in all three branches of the federal government. He clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and served as Special Counsel for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, as well as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice\u2019s Environment and Natural Resources Division. His litigation and regulatory background on these issues that are of the highest importance to western states makes him ideally suited to DOI and he should be confirmed at once. His nomination has been pending for 106 days, longer than his predecessors in the past 25 years.\u00a0\r\n  \r\nBrenda Burman of Arizona was nominated by the President to be Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) on June 29, 2017. Ms. Burman has in-depth experience in water issues that are important to western states, having previously served as the BOR Deputy Commissioner and DOI Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science under President George W. Bush. In addition to her government experience, Ms. Burman worked in the private sector in a number of western states, gaining first-hand experience in the challenges we face. Her background makes her an outstanding candidate to lead BOR in working collaboratively to tackle the complex water issues that face western states and she should be confirmed as soon as possible. If confirmed, Ms. Burman will be the first woman to lead the Bureau. Her nomination has been pending for 140 days, nearly 100 days longer than her predecessors within the past 25 years.\r\n \r\nWe urge you to make these well-qualified nominees a top priority for confirmation. A fully staffed DOI is essential to implementing the Senate\u2019s bipartisan objectives for responsible energy and natural resource development, stewardship of our public lands, and creating good-paying jobs that will benefit not only western states, but the U.S. economy as a whole.\r\nThank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to working with you to further address initiatives important to the west.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senate-western-caucus-urges-prompt-confirmation-of-interior-nominees"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5809170436114073, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}