Committee approves Fotouhi and Szabo nominations for EPA leadership posts
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a business meeting to vote on two EPA nominations: David Fotouhi for Deputy Administrator and Aaron Szabo for Assistant Administrator. Before the votes, Ranking Member Whitehouse played video of Szabo's earlier confirmation hearing testimony and raised objections about climate science views and record retention at EPA. Begins at▶ 0:25:33
• Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)▶ 0:25:33: Called the meeting to order and waived her opening statement, expressing support for both nominees as filling important EPA roles▶ 0:25:50; later presided over roll call votes on both nominations▶ 0:31:39▶ 0:32:49, announcing Fotouhi approved favorably▶ 0:32:49 and Szabo approved 10-9▶ 0:33:52, then adjourned the meeting▶ 0:33:52.
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member▶ 0:26:11: Played video from Szabo's confirmation hearing and voiced frustration with EPA's direction on climate change, citing Administrator Zeldin's stated intent to undo climate-related regulations and comments about "climate change religion"▶ 0:26:35; noted every senator's home-state university teaches climate science▶ 0:27:04; pressed on the video that Szabo had no records of advice he gave a private organization and questioned whether he had deleted them▶ 0:28:58▶ 0:29:10; quoted Szabo's written follow-up about periodically deleting old messages for privacy/security▶ 0:30:39 and said as a former trial lawyer he would not believe such a witness▶ 0:30:14.
• Aaron Szabo, EPA Assistant Administrator nominee▶ 0:28:13 (from played hearing video): Said he provided general advice to a private organization▶ 0:28:13, stated he had no records of that advice▶ 0:28:53▶ 0:29:10, and said he provided the advice "in a number of ways"▶ 0:29:41.
• Chair Capito waived her opening statement but stated support for both nominees, saying they would fill important EPA roles▶ 0:25:50.
• Whitehouse played a clip from Szabo's earlier confirmation hearing in which Szabo said he had no records of advice he gave to a private organization▶ 0:28:53, and Whitehouse asked directly whether the records were destroyed▶ 0:28:58.
• Whitehouse read a written follow-up answer from Szabo describing being targeted by attempts to steal personal information electronically and periodically deleting old messages/documents for privacy and security▶ 0:30:39.
• Whitehouse criticized EPA Administrator Zeldin's stated plan to undo climate-related regulatory actions, characterizing them as being labeled "climate change religion" rather than climate science▶ 0:26:35.
• Chair Capito asked senators to hold nominee remarks until after roll call votes▶ 0:31:39.
• David Fotouhi's nomination as EPA Deputy Administrator was approved favorably by roll call▶ 0:31:39▶ 0:32:49.
• Aaron Szabo's nomination as EPA Assistant Administrator was approved 10-9▶ 0:33:52.
| Official title | Business meeting to consider the nominations of David Fotouhi, of Virginia, to be Deputy Administrator, and Aaron Szabo, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator, both of the Environmental Protection Agency. |
| Committee | Senate Environment and Public Works |
| Chamber / Congress | Senate · 119th Congress |
| Date | 2025-03-13 |
| Type | Meeting |
| Witnesses | (none listed in event metadata) |
| Video | senate-isvp |
| Transcript | 27 caption blocks · 744 words · 0:34:23 runtime |
| Event | Congress.gov 336726 |