The Senate energy committee has postponed Doug Burgum’s nomination hearing due to a delay with federal ethics paperwork
Burgum, who used to be the governor of North Dakota, is also in the running to lead a new national energy council. This council would focus on boosting U.S. energy production, especially oil and gas, which are already hitting record levels.
Trump is set to take office on January 20, so time is ticking. Senator Mike Lee, the committee chair, mentioned that Burgum has been super cooperative and got his paperwork in on time. But the Office of Government Ethics hasn’t finished their review yet, which Lee called a “bureaucratic delay.”
On the other side, Senator Martin Heinrich and some Democrats on the committee are pushing for a longer delay, saying they haven’t received the usual financial disclosure and ethics documents needed by law.
Burgum just wrapped up his second term as governor last month and decided not to run for reelection in January 2024, right after he ended his presidential campaign. North Dakota is a big player in crude oil, ranking third in the U.S. after Texas and New Mexico.
