This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by <a href="https://www.factset.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_factset">Factset</a>. Powered and implemented by <a href="https://www.factset.com/solutions/business-needs/digital-solutions" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_factset_digital_solutions">FactSet Digital Solutions</a>. <a href="https://www.factset.com/privacy" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_factset_privacy">Legal Statement</a>. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by <a href="https://lipperalpha.refinitiv.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_refinitive_info">Refinitiv Lipper</a>. <br>The Foreign Relations chairman talked about confirmations, meeting Trump, NATO and Iran with Fox News Digital.<br><strong>FIRST ON FOX</strong>: Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, chairman of the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Committee on Energy and</a> Natural Resources, is accusing Democrats of "delaying and obstructing" top energy nominees for President-elect Trump's incoming administration. <br>"Senate Democrats are once again showing that delaying and obstructing the incoming Trump administration are their top priorities," Lee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.<br>"Both <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-announces-north-dakota-gov-doug-burgum-department-the-interior-secretary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gov. Doug Burgum</a> and Chris Wright's paperwork has been submitted to the Office of Government Ethics from their respective agencies. The confirmation process is moving forward as it should, and good progress has been made to ensure these nominees are thoroughly vetted and ready to serve. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee has followed every rule in noticing their confirmation hearings.<br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-blast-joke-sentencing-trump-10-days-before-swearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>REPUBLICANS BLAST 'JOKE' SENTENCING OF TRUMP 10 DAYS BEFORE SWEARING-IN</strong></a><br><span>Mike Lee claimed his Democratic counterpart is trying to delay Trump's nominee confirmation hearings.</span> <span>(Reuters)</span><br>"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."<br>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 <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-taps-liberty-energy-ceo-chris-wright-department-energy-leading-technologist-entrepreneur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liberty Energy Chris Wright</a>, Trump's pick for secretary of energy, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump's choice for secretary of the interior, breached protocol. <br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/laken-riley-act-overcomes-filibuster-senate-dems-give-gop-helping-hand" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>LAKEN RILEY ACT OVERCOMES FILIBUSTER IN SENATE AS DEMS GIVE GOP HELPING HAND</strong></a><br>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. <br>"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. <br><span>Trump tapped Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior.</span> <span>(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</span><br>He issued a second statement Thursday in response to Wright's Jan. 15 confirmation hearing being officially scheduled. <br>"I am extremely disappointed that Chairman Lee has noticed a second nomination hearing without having received information from nominees required by law and in adherence to committee rules, including a completed FBI background check and financial report," the senator said. <br>Heinrich said, "The documents that the Energy and Natural Resources Democrats do not have are not just paperwork. These are the documents, disclosures and (an) ethics agreement that are required by our committee rules and the law."<br>But, according to Lee, who assumed the role of chairman after Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., was elected to serve as Senate majority whip, his actions are in line with precedent in the committee. <br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-gop-senator-tears-dems-seeking-delay-pete-hegseth-dod-confirmation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NEW GOP SENATOR TEARS INTO DEMS 'SEEKING TO DELAY' PETE HEGSETH DOD CONFIRMATION</strong></a><br><span>Lee is the new Energy Committee chairman.</span> <span>(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)</span><br>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. <br>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. <br>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.<br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-gop-senator-tears-dems-seeking-delay-pete-hegseth-dod-confirmation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRUMP DETAILS STRATEGY TO GET NECESSARY VOTES WITH ONE-BILL APPROACH TO BORDER, TAXES</strong></a><br><span>In 2009, some Obama nominations operated on a similar timeline. </span> <span>(Scott Olson/Getty Images)</span><br>"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." <br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/apps-products?pid=AppArticleLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP</strong></a><br>Lee's take on the criticisms from Heinrich was that Democrats "want to conflate notice with requirements that apply generally to nominations."<br>"Rest assured, Republicans will continue to comply with all the committee rules," he said. <br>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. <br>Follow Julia's reporting on X at <a href="https://twitter.com/juliaajohnson_?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">@JuliaaJohnson_</a> and send tips to <a href="mailto:Julia.Johnson@fox.com" rel="nofollow">Julia.Johnson@fox.com</a>.<br>Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.<br>By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a> and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/terms-of-use">Terms of Use</a>, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.<br>Subscribed<br> You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! <br> This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by <a href="https://www.factset.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="footer_factset">Factset</a>. Powered and implemented by <a href="https://www.factset.com/solutions/business-needs/digital-solutions" data-omtr-intcmp="footer_factset_digital_solutions">FactSet Digital Solutions</a>. <a href="https://www.factset.com/privacy" data-omtr-intcmp="footer_factset_privacy">Legal Statement</a>. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by <a href="https://lipperalpha.refinitiv.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="footer_refinitive_info">Refinitiv Lipper</a>. <br><br><a href="https://news.google.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?oc=5">source</a>
