Posted: 3:25 am ET
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On January 12, the WH announced the President’s intent to nominate Francis R. Fannon to be the next Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources (@EnergyAtState). The WH released the following brief bio:

Francis R. Fannon of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Energy Resources). Mr. Fannon has been a businessman in the global energy and resources industries, an attorney, and a senior staffer in the U.S. Senate. He became partner of the Coefficient Group in Washington, D.C. in 2017. Before that, Mr. Fannon was head of corporate affairs at BHP Billiton and senior director of Murphy Oil Corporation, both in Washington, D.C. A senior staffer in the U.S. Senate, he served as counsel to the Committee on Environment & Public Works (2003-2007), where he assisted in the drafting, negotiation, and ultimate passage of the seminal Energy Policy Act of 2005, senior legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (2001-2003), and legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Pete V. Domenici (2000-2001). Prior to joining the Senate, he worked as an attorney in Washington D.C.

Mr. Fannon earned a B.A. from Radford University, a M.A. from the Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and a J.D. from Sturm College of Law, University of Denver.

If confirmed, Mr. Fannon would become the first Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources. Two prior nominees to this position were not acted by the Senate in 2012, and again in 2015.

• Carlos Pascual (Nominations of February 17, 2012; April 23, 2013; and January 6, 2014, not acted upon by the Senate.)
• Amos J. Hochstein (Nomination of October 8, 2015, not acted upon by the Senate.)

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