The White House withdrew the controversial nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White, President Donald Trump’s choice to fill the role of chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. Harnett White, the former head of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, faced a grueling confirmation hearing at which her views on climate change were questioned. “I’m not a scientist, but in my personal capacity, I have many questions that remain unanswered by current climate policy,” she told Senate Environment and Public Works Committee members last year. “I think we indeed need to have more precise explanations of the human role and the natural role.” In 2016, she wrote that “our flesh, blood and bones are built of carbon… Carbon dioxide is the gas of life on this planet, an essential nutrient for plant growth on which human life depends.”
The withdrawal of her name came amid questions over whether she had the votes to pass the Senate. While neither senator would confirm their position, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) were considered likely no votes.