President-elect Barack Obama today will announce Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colorado) as his pick for Secretary of the Department of the Interior.
If confirmed, Salazar would oversee the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. He also has the power to nominate two members of the National Indian Gaming Commission, an independent agency.
Salazar inherits a number of hot topics, including the Cobell trust fund case, ethics failures at OST, Indian gaming controversies, and backlogs in land-into-trust and federal recognition. Ethics has remained a big issue at Interior overall.
In other Cabinet news, former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack is being selected as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. Arne Duncan has been announced as Obama's choice for Secretary of the Department of Education.
Get the Story:Obama to Name Salazar As Secretary of Interior (The Washington Post 12/17)
Knotty issues at Interior put Salazar on tightrope (The Denver Post 12/17)
Obama to Pick Tom Vilsack To Lead USDA (The Washington Post 12/17)
Education Pick Is Called 'Down-to-Earth' Leader (The Washington Post 12/17)
Iowa Ex-Governor Picked for Agriculture Secretary (The New York Times 12/17) Related Stories:
Editorial: Ken Salazar a wise choice for Interior (12/16)
Opinion: A Republican for Interior Secretary (12/16)
Editorial: Eleventh hour mischief at Interior (12/16)
Report finds political influence by Interior official (12/16)
Reports: Sen. Ken Salazar slated for Interior (12/15)
Opinion: A Republican for Interior Secretary (12/16)
Arizona Tribes: Raul Grijalva for Interior Secretary (12/12)
Editorial: Raul Grijalva for Interior Secretary (12/11)
Gover now calls potential Interior nod a 'rumor' (12/10)
Potential Interior picks pressed on disenrollment (12/10)
Gover not expecting to hear from Obama transition (12/9)
Grist: Kevin Gover up for Interior Secretary (12/8)
Opinion: Raul Grijalva a wise choice for Interior (12/8)
Cobell lawyer leads Interior transition for Obama (12/5)
In the Loop: Interior Secretary pick next in line (12/5)
Tribal membership disputes on nominee radar (12/2)
Arizona tribes contributed to Napolitano PAC (11/25)
Editorial: Raul Grijalva for Interior Secretary (11/25)
Strong outlook for Indian Country under Obama (11/21)
NIGC prepares for transition to new administration (11/19)