August 3, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 137 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Page S4662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Nomination of Mark Wesley Menezes

  Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Mark 
Menezes nomination to be Deputy Secretary of Energy.
  I agree wholeheartedly with our chairwoman for Energy and Natural 
Resources. We have a great working relationship, and we have a good 
friendship that means more than anything to me.
  But, basically, every now and then you get a person who comes before 
you that you know they are there for the good of the public. They are 
truly public servants, not for private service.
  So this person comes across with so much expertise. That is going to 
play an important role in our national defense and our energy and 
economic security and our science and research and even in fighting the 
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and helping to rebuild our economy.
  The Deputy Secretary plays a central role in all of these efforts, 
and I believe that Mr. Menezes is up to the task.
  The Deputy Secretary is the second highest ranking officer in the 
Department of Energy and the Department's chief operating officer on 
top of that. He is responsible for managing the Department's wide-
ranging mission and a budget of over $35 billion dollars--$35-billion-
dollar budget.
  The DOE and its labs can also play a vital role in supporting the 
scientific research and development needed to rebuild our economy.
  In addition, the Department is responsible for maintaining the 
Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, overseeing the four power marketing 
administrations, and ensuring our energy security and protecting the 
Nation's energy sector from cyber attacks, among other things.
  As the Department's second highest ranking officer and its chief 
operating office, the Deputy Secretary necessarily plays a critical 
role in all of these important functions.
  Mr. Menezes brings an impressive background to the job. Thirty years 
ago, he was counsel to our former colleague Senator John Breaux; 15 
years ago, he was chief counsel to the House Energy and Commerce and 
played a major role in shaping the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
  He has held senior posts at the American Electric Power Company, the 
Hunton and Williams law firm, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
  Most importantly, though, for the past 3 years, he has served as the 
Under Secretary of Energy. As the Under Secretary of Energy, Mr. 
Menezes has shown he is up to the task and capable of handling the job 
of Deputy Secretary.
  I think that he truly, clearly, demonstrated his knowledge and his 
firm grasp of the wide range of important issues before the Department 
during the confirmation hearing, and I am happy to support his 
nomination in the most bipartisan way.