WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, issued the following statement after voting against the nomination of Brenda Mallory to be Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ):

“Mrs. Mallory refused to give a direct answer when I asked if the White House would commit to not letting politics influence their decisions to shut down energy infrastructure like the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Biden Administration is already filled with people ready to put the desires of the Hollywood elite ahead of American energy. They don’t need more leaders who won’t acknowledge the role energy assets like pipelines play in creating economic opportunity, bolstering our energy security, and keeping emissions in check. The Dakota Access Pipeline has passed every environmental assessment put before it by the career professionals this Administration claims to listen to, yet its ability to operate still remains in jeopardy. I urge Mrs. Mallory and her colleagues to set aside the unfounded, partisan arguments from the far-left and support the pipeline.”

During her hearing, Senator Cramer pressed Mrs. Mallory on her record on pipelines and announced he would oppose her nomination when EPW voted on it last month.