Senate GOP hails new Interior deputy as ‘voice of reason’

WASHINGTON — The Senate easily confirmed former Obama administration official Tommy Beaudreau as deputy secretary at the Interior Department on Thursday, a rare bipartisan moment in an increasingly bitter fight over President Joe Biden’s policies on energy production and climate change. Murkowski and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat who now heads the energy committee, said they were concerned that Biden’s initial choice, Elizabeth Klein, was overly hostile to fossil fuels. “It’s clear Mr. Beaudreau understands America’s need for an all-of-the-above energy strategy,’' Barrasso said, adding that he hopes Beaudreau “can serve as a voice of reason in an administration that is waging a war on American energy workers.’' Murkowski, who was one of just four GOP senators to back Haaland, had made no secret of her support for Beaudreau, citing his Alaska background and knowledge of Interior Department issues. “Alaska has been off to a rough start” with the Biden administration, Murkowski said, adding that Beaudreau “has a reputation for listening to all sides on an issue, and I hope to count on him to help improve Alaska’s relationship with the Interior Department.’' Manchin also praised Beaudreau, saying he understands Interior’s “dual mission of preserving and protecting our national parks and public lands and providing a large part of the energy and mineral resources that we need to power the nation.″ Interior has emerged as a flashpoint in the early days of the Biden administration, with Republicans frequently complaining that Biden’s policies hurt energy production and jobs.