Mike Lee claimed his Democratic counterpart is trying to delay Trump's nominee confirmation hearings. (Reuters)
"This is the same party that, in 2009, went ahead with hearings for President Obama’s nominees under near identical circumstances. While Democrats drag their feet, Republicans are moving forward and doing the work the American people expect us to do. It's time for Senate Democrats to meet the moment with the seriousness it demands."
The Utah Republican was responding to claims from his Democratic counterpart on the committee, ranking member Martin Heinrich, who suggested that his scheduling of confirmation hearings for CEO and founder of Liberty Energy Chris Wright, Trump's pick for secretary of energy, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump's choice for secretary of the interior, breached protocol.
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This week, Heinrich responded to "a breach of decades-long Senate protocol and precedent" when he said Lee set Burgum's hearing without the consent of the committee's minority.
"I am extremely disappointed that Chairman Lee has scheduled the first Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee confirmation hearing over my objection and before basic information has been given to the committee. This is a breach of protocol and precedent, established over decades by chairs of both parties," Heinrich said in a statement Wednesday after Burgum's confirmation hearing was officially set by Lee for Jan. 14.
Lee is the new Energy Committee chairman. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
He further maintained that he is "in full compliance" with all rules when it comes to setting up confirmation hearings for Trump's picks for key energy roles.
While Heinrich accused Lee of going against precedent, a similar scenario played out in 2009 in former President Obama's administration. Steven Chu and Ken Salazar, the former secretaries of Energy and the Interior, respectively, had their confirmation hearings announced by former energy Chairman Jeff Bingaman before all documents were received.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for committee Democrats said these are the only instances of this timeline of events "despite dozens and dozens of nominees being considered by the committee.
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In 2009, some Obama nominations operated on a similar timeline. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
"Further, unlike the hearings Chairman Lee has noticed, the committee did receive Dr. Chu and Mr. Salazar’s disclosures only one day after the notice was issued. Days have passed since Chairman Lee noticed these hearings. But the committee has yet to receive the required documents and has no assurance that it will receive them by the time the hearings occur."
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Lee's take on the criticisms from Heinrich was that Democrats "want to conflate notice with requirements that apply generally to nominations."
"Rest assured, Republicans will continue to comply with all the committee rules," he said.
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.
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