Bill Lee: “I wish to speak for a few minutes about Ryan Nelson, who has been nominated by the President to serve as the Solicitor…”

“I wish to speak for a few minutes about Ryan Nelson, who has been nominated by the President to serve as the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior. Ryan is a fantastic choice for this position at Interior. As a native and current resident of Idaho Falls, he is a fellow westerner who understands the issues confronting the West, confronting the region, confronting the entire country as it relates to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Ryan would not just work on behalf of the West. I know he is someone who is going to serve honorably on behalf of the American people as a whole. In order to do that, he first has to be confirmed. By my count, it has been 232 days since Ryan Nelson was nominated. There should be no further delays. The American people deserve to have qualified professionals in the executive branch, and Mr. Nelson is qualified, to put it very mildly. He is someone who has worked in notable posts of responsibility in all three branches of government. During the George W. Bush administration, Ryan worked as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources division. In that position, he personally argued 13 appellate cases. He also oversaw 700 attorneys and staff, who touched on all aspects of energy and environmental issues within the Department of Justice. Later, Ryan worked in the White House as deputy general counsel for the OMB and as special counsel to then-Senator Jeff Sessions.…”