Know a Nominee: Jennifer Granholm to be Secretary of Energy

UPDATE 2/25/21

• The Senate cast a bipartisan vote of 64-35 on Thursday to confirm Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy.

UPDATE 2/24/21

• The Senate voted 67-32 on Wednesday to limit debate on Jennifer Granholm's nomination to be Secretary of Energy. A confirmation vote is likely to occur Thursday.

The Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of Jennifer Granholm to be Secretary of Energy in the near future. Here’s what you need to know about the nominee.

Who is Jennifer Granholm?

• Granholm, 62, served two terms as the governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011 after she served as the state’s attorney general from 1999-2003.
• Since her time in public service in Michigan, Granholm has been a professor of law and public policy at the University of California, Berkeley. She also served on the boards of Dow Chemical Company, Marinette Marine Corporation, in addition to electric vehicle companies ChargePoint and Proterra. She has also been a progressive commentator in a variety of forums and gave a fiery speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
• Granholm is a Canadian-American who was born in Vancouver, Canada but moved to California with her family at age four. She became a naturalized citizen at the age of 21. She earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and her law degree from Harvard Law School, where she was the editor of a progressive law journal.
• During the Obama administration, Granholm was considered as a possible nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, secretary of energy, secretary of transportation, secretary of labor, and attorney general. 

What’s the outlook for her nomination?

• Granholm faced questions about her stance on fossil fuels and their role in the U.S. economy from senators on both sides of the aisle during her confirmation hearing. 
• She called it “a good thing” that the U.S. is the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world and expressed support for carbon capture technologies. She also committed to prioritizing investments in states that lose fossil fuel jobs.  
• The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced Granholm’s nomination on a bipartisan 13-4 vote.

What does it mean for the Dept. of Energy?

• The Dept. of Energy (DOE) administers the national energy policy, manages U.S. nuclear infrastructure, and funds relevant scientific research. DOE has roughly 13,000 employees and 90,000 contractors. 
• In addition to its regulatory and research responsibilities, the DOE also plays a significant role in the maintenance of nuclear weapons that are part of the U.S. military’s arsenal, in addition to contributing to the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) ― the global nuclear proliferation watchdog.

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: DOE Seal via Wikimedia / Public Domain | Granholm: Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCruch via Flickr / Creative Commons)