Congressional and Intergovernmental Activities Overview (2020 Presidential transition)
| Book 1 - Corporate overview
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| Entire 2020 Transition book As of October 2020 |
DOE activities fall within the jurisdiction of several congressional authorization committees and appropriations subcommittees. The Department's primary authorizing committees are:
- Senate Energy and Natural Resources;
- Senate Armed Services;
- House Science and Technology;
- House Armed Services; and the
- House Energy and Commerce
Each year the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and other senior Departmental officials interact with congressional committees, starting with briefings and hearings on the President's Budget Request for the Department, and continuing with program and oversight hearings. Senior officials also interact with individual congressional members, and key staff on committees of jurisdiction and from States affected by DOE activities.
Within the Department, the Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs (CI) manages overall relations with Members of Congress and supports the Secretary as the chief strategic advisor on all congressional interactions. CI’s Congressional Services and Information Team advances Departmental officials’ interactions with congressional committees by managing written testimony as well as managing responses in writing to questions for the record (QFRs), which become part of the official hearing record. In preparation for hearings, CI also works with the Office of Public Affairs (PA) to develop oral testimony given before committees that discuss the Administration's proposed policies, budget, and other priorities.
CI also facilitates the confirmation process of all DOE Senate confirmed officials and notifies Congressional members and State officials of DOE announcements, initiatives, proposals, and grants which may affect their respective jurisdictions across the full range of DOE's energy, national security, environmental, and science and technology missions; and assures any appropriate follow-up is provided. Further, CI works with Departmental programs to ensure the Department provides a timely response to written inquiries from Congressional members and State elected officials.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), in coordination with CI, also provides congressional liaison services for its programs. The Chief Financial Officer (CF), in coordination with CI, leads the Department’s communication and coordination with the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittees, and CI coordinates with CF when engaging other appropriations subcommittees on an as needed basis.
CI also manages the Department's intergovernmental and external affairs relationships, including governors of the states and territories; sovereign tribal nations; locally elected officials; community organizations; trade associations; educational institutions; and stakeholder groups with interests in DOE activities. The Department has a physical presence in 30 states and many of these engagements focus on the 12 states where multiple ongoing DOE missions are executed. These efforts are also supported through a network of Program Office staff in Headquarters and field locations that maintain regular engagements with state and local elected officials; community organizations; and stakeholder groups with interests in DOE activities.
The following is a listing of the current congressional leadership, congressional committees of jurisdiction, and select intergovernmental organizations.
Congressional Leadership 116th Congress (2019-21)
Senate
Republican Leadership
- Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY)
- Majority Whip John Thune (SD)
Democratic Leadership
- Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY)
- Minority Whip Dick Durbin (IL)
House of Representatives
Republican Leadership
- Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA)
- Minority Whip Steve Scalise (LA)
Democratic Leadership
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA)
- Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD)
- Majority Whip James Clyburn (SC)
Senate Congressional Committees of Jurisdiction
116th Congress (2019-20)
Appropriations
Full Committee
- Chairman: Richard Shelby (R-AL)
- Ranking: Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Subcommittee: Energy & Water Development
- Chairman: Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
- Ranking: Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
General Jurisdiction: Responsible for funding decisions and oversight of federal funds for all DOE programs, including NNSA.
Armed Services
Full Committee
- Chairman: Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
- Ranking: Jack Reed (D-RI)
Subcommittee: Strategic Forces
- Chairman: Deb Fischer (R-NE)
- Ranking: Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
General Jurisdiction: Authorizing of legislation and oversight of programs relating to nuclear weapons, nuclear non-proliferation, environmental management, and other defense or security related activities. DOE programs and offices include the National Nuclear Security Administration; Environmental Management; Legacy Management; Enterprise Assessments; and Environment, Health, Safety and Security.
Energy and Natural Resources
Full Committee
- Chairman: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
- Ranking: Joe Manchin (D-WV)
Subcommittee: Energy
- Chairman: Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
- Ranking: Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
General Jurisdiction: Authorizing of legislation and oversight of energy related research and development; DOE National Laboratories; government petroleum and fuel reserves; oil, gas and coal production and distribution; commercial nuclear and nuclear waste policy; energy emergency response; Federal energy conservation programs; climate change; energy development impacts on water resources; science; loan programs; and other national energy policy matters. Interest generally focuses on non-defense related matters, although jurisdiction may touch upon all matters under the purview of the Secretary of Energy.
Other subcommittees with jurisdiction include National Parks, and Water and Power.
Environment and Public Works
Full Committee
- Chairman: Ron Johnson (R-WI)
- Ranking: Gary Peters (D-MI)
Subcommittee: Investigations
- Chairman: Rob Portman (R-OH)
- Ranking: Tom Carper (D-DE)
General Jurisdiction: Oversight and investigation relating to all governmental agencies.
Other subcommittees with jurisdiction include Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, and Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management.
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Full Committee
- Chairman: Ron Johnson (R-WI)
- Ranking: Gary Peters (D-MI)
Subcommittee: Investigations
- Chairman: Rob Portman (R-OH)
- Ranking: Tom Carper (D-DE)
General Jurisdiction: Oversight and investigation relating to all governmental agencies.
Other subcommittees with jurisdiction include Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, and Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management.
Other Senate Committees with DOE Interest
- Intelligence
- Foreign Relations
- Indian Affairs
House Congressional Committees of Jurisdiction
116th Congress (2019-20)
Appropriations
Full Committee
- Chairman: Nita Lowey (D-NY)
- Ranking: Kay Granger (R-TX)
Subcommittee: Energy & Water Development
- Chairman: Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
- Ranking: Mike Simpson (R-ID)
General Jurisdiction: Responsible for funding decisions and oversight of federal funds for all DOE programs, including NNSA.
Armed Services
Full Committee
- Chairman: Adam Smith (D-WA)
- Ranking: Mac Thornberry (R-TX)
Subcommittee: Strategic Forces
- Chairman: Jim Cooper (D-TN)
- Ranking: Michael Turner (R-OH)
General Jurisdiction: Authorizing of legislation and oversight of programs relating to nuclear weapons, nuclear non-proliferation, environmental management, and other defense or security related activities. DOE programs and offices include the National Nuclear Security Administration;
Environmental Management; Legacy Management; Enterprise Assessments; and Environment, Health, Safety and Security.
Energy and Commerce
Full Committee
- Chairman: Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
- Ranking: Greg Walden (R-OR)
Subcommittee: Energy
- Chairman: Bobby Rush (D-IL)
- Ranking: Fred Upton (R-MI)
Subcommittee: Environment & Climate Change
- Chairman: Paul Tonko (D-NY)
- Ranking: John Shimkus (R-IL)
Subcommittee: Oversight & Investigations
- Chairman: Diana DeGette (D-CO)
- Ranking: Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
General Jurisdiction: Authorizing of legislation and oversight of the general management of the Department of Energy and the activities of non- defense programs within the Department, national energy policy, conservation of energy resources, energy information generally, regulation of the domestic nuclear energy industry, and nuclear facilities.
Science, Space, and Technology
Full Committee
- Chairman: Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
- Ranking: Frank Lucas(R-OK)
Subcommittee: Investigations
- Chairman: Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX)
- Ranking: Randy Weber (R-TX)
Subcommittee: Oversight
- Chairman: Bill Foster (D-IL)
- Ranking: Ralph Norman (R-SC)
General Jurisdiction: Authorizing of legislation and oversight of all energy research, development, and demonstration activities; DOE laboratories; commercial application of energy technologies; loan programs; and scientific issues related to environmental policy, including climate change. The
Committee exercises expansive oversight jurisdiction.
Other subcommittees with jurisdiction include Environment, and Research and Technology
Oversight and Government Reform
- Full Committee
- Chairman: Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
- Ranking: James Comer (R-KY)
General Jurisdiction: Oversight and investigation relating to all governmental agencies.
Natural Resources
Full Committee
- Chairman: Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
- Ranking: Rob Bishop (R-UT)
Subcommittee: Energy & Mineral Resources
- Chairman: Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
- Ranking: Paul Gosar (R-AZ)
General Jurisdiction: Authorizing of legislation and oversight of geothermal resources; conservation of
U.S. uranium supply; rights of way over public lands for underground energy-related transportation; generation and marketing of electric power from federal water projects by power marketing authorities (PMAs); and Native American affairs.
Other subcommittees with jurisdiction include Water, Power &Oceans, and Oversight and Investigations
Other Senate Committees with DOE Interest
- Intelligence
- Foreign Affairs
- Small Business
Intergovernmental Organizations
“Big Seven”
- National Governors Association (NGA)
- U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM)
- National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
- Council of State Governments
- National League of Cities (NLC)
- National Association of Counties (NACo)
- International City/County Management Association
Other Intergovernmental Organizations
- Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG)
- Southern Governors Association
- Western Governors Association (WGA)
- National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)