The Senate and Natural Resources Committee voted Wednesday to advance the nomination of former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to the full Senate, where she’s expected to be confirmed as the Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE). 

Granholm signaled in written responses to the committee ahead of her confirmation hearing last week that she wouldn’t necessarily oppose oil and natural gas or efforts underway to better limit their impacts on climate. 

In particular, Granholm signaled continued support for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Her responses come as one of the first indications of how President Biden may utilize what’s become a potent foreign policy tool for the United States.

“I believe U.S. LNG exports can have an important role to play in reducing...