Senate Confirms Chris Wright to Lead Department of Energy

The Senate has confirmed Colorado fracking services contractor Chris Wright to lead the Department of Energy (DOE) in its management of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, national labs in energy development, and in implementing President Donald Trump’s energy policies.

The Senate endorsed Wright to serve as energy secretary on Feb. 3 in a 59–38 vote that drew objections from some Democrats over his support for fossil fuel development in taking the reins of the DOE’s 14,000-employee workforce and its $52 billion annual budget.