The Washington Post, USA Today, New York Times and other publications today reported that President-elect Joe Biden has chosen Deb Haaland, a Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico, to serve as the first Native American interior secretary.
Later today, the Biden Transition Team issued a press release officially announcing the nominations and appointments of Haaland and other members of his transition team.
Coalitions of Tribes and environmental organizations have been pushing Biden to appoint her to head the department that oversees the country’s vast natural resources, including tribal lands, national forests, National Parks and Monuments and other lands.
In response to the appointment, Haaland, 60, said on Twitter, “A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior.Growing up in my mother’s Pueblo household made me fierce. I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land. I am honored and ready to serve.”
A member of Pueblo of Laguna, Haaland, 60, would become the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary.
According to today’s article by Juliet Eilperin and Dino Grandoni in the Washington Post, her nomination for the position marks “a turning point for a 171-year-old institution that has often had a fraught relationship with 574 federally recognized tribes,” https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/17/deb-haaland-interior-secretary-biden/
“The first-term House member, who hails from a top oil- and gas-producing state, has pledged to transform the department from a champion of fossil fuel development into a promoter of renewable energy and policies to mitigate climate change,” the Post stated.
In a press release published later today, President-elect Joe Biden officially announced Haagland’s nomination as one of the key nominations and appointments of his “climate team.”
The team also includes Governor Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Energy; Michael Regan, EPA Administrator; Brenda Mallory, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality; Administrator Gina McCarthy, National Climate Advisor; and Ali Zaidi, Deputy National Climate Advisor.
President-elect Joe Biden said, “This brilliant, tested, trailblazing team will be ready on day one to confront the existential threat of climate change with a unified national response rooted in science and equity. They share my belief that we have no time to waste to confront the climate crisis, protect our air and drinking water, and deliver justice to communities that have long shouldered the burdens of environmental harms. Together, on behalf of all Americans, they will meet this moment with the urgency it demands — and seize the opportunity to build back better with good-paying union jobs, climate-resilient infrastructure, and a clean energy future that benefits every single community.”
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said, “From the wildfires across California and the west to the storms battering our coasts, our climate crisis is a grave and growing threat to the American people and the planet we all share. On the campaign, President-elect Biden and I proposed one of the most ambitious climate plans in history. The team we are announcing today will help make that plan a reality. They are seasoned public servants and climate experts who reflect the very best of our country. They have the knowledge and experience to confront this global challenge head-on with our allies and partners around the world. And they are the team the American people need and deserve to help protect our communities — and our planet — for generations.”
The release described Haaland as “a barrier-breaking public servant who has spent her career fighting for families, including in Tribal Nations, rural communities, and communities of color. Currently serving as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Haaland will be ready on day one to protect our environment and fight for a clean energy future. If confirmed, she will make history as the first-ever Native American Cabinet secretary.”
Haaland currently serves as the Representative for the First District of New Mexico in the House of Representatives — one of the first two Native American women elected to the United States Congress. As a single mom and someone who has lived paycheck to paycheck. Haaland knows the struggles many families face.
A longtime organizer, Haaland has spent her career advocating for the needs of her community. In Congress, she holds leadership positions including the 116th Congress Freshman Class Representative to the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, House Democratic Region VI Whip, and Deputy Whip for the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She is also the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Vice Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Prior to her election to the U.S. House, Haaland was an entrepreneur and advocated for environmentally sustainable business practices. Additionally, Haaland served as Chairwoman of the New Mexico Democratic Party — the first Native American elected to lead a state party.
Haaland, whose mother served in the Navy and whose father was a Marine, also serves as an Honorary Commander of Kirtland Air Force Base. She earned a B.A. from the University of New Mexico and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
The Indigenous Environmental Network lauded the nomination of Representative Debra Haaland as Secretary of Interior in a statement:
The Indigenous Environmental Network enthusiastically supports President-elect Biden’s nomination of Representative Debra Haaland to the cabinet position of Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Representative Haaland will help facilitate the Biden/Harris vision for dealing with climate change, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Indian Country, ensuring an effective economic just recovery plan for Indian Tribes, Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians and communities, overseeing the protection of public lands, and fulfilling all treaty and statutory obligations.
Representative Haaland demonstrated her capacity in all of these areas, and being the first Indigenous person to head the Department of Interior and second in a Cabinet position will inspire and provide hope not only to the Indigenous Peoples of this land, but to all who have vision for the future.
It is our hope that the US Senate will swiftly confirm Representative Haaland. She has already shown her ability to engage in bi-partisan initiatives, while firmly maintaining her values and integrity. After nearly a century since an Indigenous person held a Cabinet level post, Representative Haaland's nomination marks a historic moment, in which Indigenous Peoples are no longer rendered invisible.
Klamath Basin Tribes also lauded Haaland’s appointment by Biden.
“We are extremely gratified that President-elect Biden has listened to the voices of native peoples and appointed an indigenous leader for this important position,” said Yurok Tribe Chairman Joseph L. James. “This is a good day.”
Climate group 350 Action praised Biden’s nomination of Haaland for the Interior Secretary position. @350's US Policy Director Natalie Mebane said in a tweet that Haaland is "without a doubt the right person to lead the Interior. It is high time that an Indigenous leader be steering policy in the President’s cabinet.” https://fal.cn/3ciyk
As more reactions to Haaland’s appointment come in, I will post them here: