The Nomination of the Honorable Rick Perry to Be Secretary of Energy

Governor Rick Perry, the longest-serving Governor of Texas, has considerable experience leading a big and sophisticated enterprise. Rick Perry is not a status quo kind of guy. He is a leader. He is an innovator. During his tenure, the state thrived, even as much of the rest of the country languished. Texas not only added almost two million jobs during his time in office but was responsible for the lion's share of all job growth across the nation from 2007 to 2014. Through massive wildfires in places like Bastrop to major hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, to the tragic explosion in a West Texas fertilizer plant, Governor Perry demonstrated that he was able to rise to the occasion, make tough decisions, and meet the challenge placed in front of him. Nuclear security is the largest portion of the Department of Energy's portfolio. Within that portfolio is the responsibility to ensure the reliability of the nuclear stockpile. DOE is also tasked with modernizing the nation's nuclear stockpile. Additionally, the DOE is responsible for cleaning up the nuclear waste, temporarily housed in 35 states, that is a legacy of the Cold War. The DOE is also responsible for ensuring the reliability of the electric grid against cybersecurity attacks. The DOE has helped to make the United States a global leader in research and development by supporting basic research, by encouraging scientific exploration, and fostering innovation. At the heart of these efforts are scientific research funded by the Department and the 17 national laboratories that employ the Department's greatest assets, scientists, who dedicate not just their careers, but in so many cases, their lives, to solving some of the toughest challenges that face our nation and the world.