It took Republican Congressman Ryan Zinke less than two minutes to win the backing of the GOP-led Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Tuesday.
After the 16-6 vote, Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska said, "Congratulations Representative Zinke. We look forward to working with you.”
The committee’s confirmation vote for both Zinke and former Texas Governor Rick Perry for Energy Secretary lacked the fireworks of separate committee meetings on two of President Trump’s other nominees. Democrats boycotted the nominations of Steve Mnuchin to Treasury and Tom Price for Health secretary.
Still, Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington state, who voted against Zinke, told him she worries about the Trump administration’s approach to federal lands.
“I know you want to be a Teddy Roosevelt kind of Secretary of Interior," Cantwell said, "but you’re working with an administration who in their own infrastructure bill says they’re going to pay for it by oil and gas infrastructure by oil and gas on federal lands. I don’t know where that stops.”
Montana Senator Steve Daines voted for Zinke, later noting he’ll be the first Montanan to ever serve in a president’s cabinet:
“Ryan, you possess exactly the right balance. As we say in Montana, we’re a blend of George Strait and John Denver – and you get that," Daines said, echoing a line he uses frequently.
At the time of this recording, the full senate had not yet scheduled a final vote on Zinke’s nomination.