Dan Brouillette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dan Brouillette
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2017
|
|
| 15th United States Secretary of Energy | |
| In office December 4, 2019 – January 20, 2021 Acting: December 1, 2019 – December 4, 2019 |
|
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Mark Menezes |
| Preceded by | Rick Perry |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Granholm |
| 19th United States Deputy Secretary of Energy | |
| In office August 8, 2017 – December 4, 2019 |
|
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall |
| Succeeded by | Mark Menezes |
| Assistant Secretary of Energy for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs | |
| In office August 1, 2001 – October 3, 2003 |
|
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | John Angell |
| Succeeded by | Rick Dearborn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Danny Ray Brouillette
August 18, 1962 Paincourtville, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Adrienne |
| Children | 9 |
| Education | University of Maryland, College Park (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
Danny Ray Brouillette (/bruːˈjɛt/ born August 18, 1962) is an American government official and businessman who served as the United States secretary of energy from 2019 to 2021. He previously served as the deputy secretary of energy from August 2017 to December 2019. On August 16, 2023, Brouillette was named President and Chief Executive Officer Elect of the Edison Electric Institute.
Contents
Early life and education
Brouillette is originally from Paincourtville, Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1995.
Career
Following his service in the United States Army, Brouillette served as U.S. representative Billy Tauzin's legislative director from 1989 to 1997. From 1997 to 2000, he was Senior Vice President of R. Duffy Wall & Associates, a DC-based independent lobbying firm. Brouillette was Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs in the U.S. Department of Energy from 2001 to 2003 under President George W. Bush.
He then served as chief of staff under Rep. Billy Tauzin and was also staff director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee from 2003 to 2004, when Tauzin chaired the committee. Brouillette was involved in crafting provisions included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, specifically with respect to the Department of Energy loan guarantee program and federal authorization of importation and exportation of liquid natural gas.
From 2004 to 2006, Brouillette was a vice president at Ford Motor Company, running the company's domestic policy teams. He also served on Ford's North American Operating Committee. In 2006, Brouillette was hired as head of public policy and senior vice president at United Services Automobile Association, which offers financial services to people and families that serve, or served, in the United States military.
Brouillette also served as a member of Louisiana's State Mineral and Energy Board from 2013 to 2016.
Dan Brouillette was awarded the 2020 Distinguished Alumnus Award by the University of Maryland Global Campus Alumni Association. In 2021, he joined the American Council for Capital Formation's board of advisors.
Deputy Secretary of Energy (2017–2019)
On April 3, 2017, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Brouillette as United States deputy secretary of energy in the United States Department of Energy. Brouillette was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2017. He was sworn in as the deputy secretary for energy on August 8, 2017.
Secretary of Energy (2019–2021)
On October 18, 2019, President Trump announced he would nominate Brouillette as United States Secretary of Energy to replace Rick Perry, who had announced he would step down by the end of the year. On November 7, 2019, President Trump sent his nomination to the Senate.
Perry formally resigned as Energy Secretary on December 1, 2019, making Brouillette the acting secretary as his nomination was still pending before the U.S. Senate. On December 2, 2019, the Senate confirmed his nomination by a vote of 70–15. Brouillette was formally sworn in on December 11, 2019.
Brouillette delegated the powers and responsibilities of Deputy Secretary to then-Under Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes. Menezes serving as Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy was confirmed as Deputy Secretary on August 4, 2020.
During his time as secretary, the United States achieved the position as the top global producer of oil and natural gas, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia. That achievement was instrumental in facilitating a deal between the U.S. and other oil-producing nations to stabilize global oil markets during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brouillette traveled extensively, both domestically and internationally, during his year as Secretary. In February 2020, he traveled to Munich, Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference; Vienna, Austria, to attend the IAEA's International Conference on Nuclear Security; Lisbon, Portugal, to tour the Port of Sines and meet with various officials and industry representatives; Rio de Janeiro to attend the U.S.-Brazil Energy Forum; and New Delhi to attend the U.S.-India Energy Cooperation Roundtable.
In December 2020, as part of the recently-signed Abraham-Accords, Brouillette convened a "first-of-its kind" meeting between the energy minister of Israel and counterparts from several Arab nations.
Brouillette also traveled frequently within the United States in 2020, including to Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, Louisiana, North Dakota, Colorado, Texas, and Kentucky. On January 7, 2021, Brouillette promised a seamless handover between the Trump and Biden administrations.
On January 15, 2021, Brouillette issued a letter to the U.S. governors in which he highlighted the need of critical energy workers' health and preferential Covid vaccination, to ensure an uninterrupted energy supply to the Nation's communities.
Post-Trump administration
Sempra Infrastructure
Brouillette was named the president of Sempra Infrastructure in July 2021 and started with the company in November of that year. During his time with Sempra, Brouillette oversaw the continued development of massive energy infrastructure projects, including reaching a final investment decision on the Port Arthur LNG project in Texas and a heads of agreement deal with TotalEnergies, Mitsui, Mitsubishi and NYK for Cameron LNG Phase 2.
Edison Electric Institute
On August 16, 2023, the Edison Electric Institute named Brouillette its president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2024.
Personal life
Brouillette and his wife, Adrienne, are U.S. Army veterans and the parents of nine children, all of whom the couple homeschooled. They reside in Maryland. He served in the Army from 1982 to 1987 as a tank commander in Germany in the "Fulda Gap" and as a Drill Sergeant in the Army Reserve in South Carolina.
