Former Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas), President-elect Donald Trump's pick for energy secretary, started his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday by backtracking his past recommendation to abolish the department he is now poised to lead. "My statements made over five years ago about abolishing the Department of Energy do not reflect my current thinking," Perry said. "In fact, after being briefed on so many of the functions of the Department of Energy, I regret recommending its elimination."
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