Senator Heinrich Questions DOE Nominees Gil and Griffith on National Labs, Subpoenas and Rescission Power

Name: "Senator Heinrich Questions DOE Nominees Gil and Griffith on National Labs, Subpoenas and Rescission Power"
Uploaded: 2025-04-10
Duration: 5 min 35 s
Description: "At an April 10, 2025 Senate Energy Committee nomination hearing, Under Secretary of Science nominee Dario Gil and Under Secretary of Energy nominee Preston Wells Griffith III told Senator Martin Heinrich they would follow the law on congressional appropriations and subpoenas and maintain the national labs' open-science mission, according to the Senate Energy Democrats' recording."

April 10, 2025 · Senate Energy Dems · 0:05:35

Embedded from the source channel — never re-uploaded. Watch on YouTube

What happened

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee questioned two Department of Energy nominees on April 10, 2025, in an excerpt posted by the committee’s Democratic members: Dr. Dario Gil, nominated as Under Secretary of Science, and Preston Wells Griffith III, nominated as Under Secretary of Energy. Senator Martin Heinrich opened by saying the strength of the national labs lies in the diversity of their science and engineering programs, and asked both nominees to commit not to reduce research capabilities and staffing for open science and the labs.

Griffith said the department and labs have some of the most talented scientists and engineers in government and that, if confirmed, he is committed to working with the Secretary and the committee to deliver efficient use of resources while maintaining American leadership. Gil said he could not agree more about the laboratory complex, that open science lets the labs attract and retain talent by allowing scientists flexibility and curiosity, and that Heinrich had his commitment and appreciation for the importance of open science, as both nominees answered.

Heinrich pressed Griffith on a prior House subpoena he did not comply with; Griffith said the subpoena related to impeachment, did not allow White House counsel to be present, and was deemed invalid by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel because it did not protect executive privilege, and he committed to following the law and working with the committee. Asked whether the power to rescind obligated funds rests with Congress, both nominees said Congress holds that power first and that they would follow the law on congressional direction of appropriated funds, as they answered under oath. Griffith also agreed the country needs an all-of-the-above energy strategy, bringing all secure, reliable and affordable resources to bear to meet AI-driven demand growth and keep consumer prices low, as he stated his position.

Why it matters

The nominees’ answers lock in on-the-record commitments — on open science at the labs, on following congressional rescission law and on subpoena compliance — that senators can cite in oversight if the confirmed officials act otherwise.

Sources: Senate Energy Dems, “Hearing: Heinrich Questions DOE’s Under Secretary of Science and Under Secretary of Energy Nominees”, 2025-04-10 (official upload, embedded above; published 2025-04-10). Transcript via Supadata (private research store, paraphrased and attributed, not republished). All figures and characterizations as stated by the speakers.