The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's as Secretary of the Department of the Interior on Wednesday.

The committee voiced unanimous consent for Kempthorne. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) voted "present" to protest the Bush administration's stance on off-shore drilling but said she did not oppose the nomination.

Landrieu and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida) may place a procedural hold on Kempthorne in order to get information or gain concessions from the administration. Otherwise, the full Senate is expected to confirm the Idaho governor by the end of the month.

Once Kempthorne is installed, the White House might name a new assistant secretary for Indian affairs. Members of the committee criticized the administration for leaving the position vacant for more than a year.

Get the Story:
If confirmed, interior choice plans to overhaul species law (The Denver Post 5/11)
Senate panel OKs Kempthorne (The Deseret Morning News 5/11)
Senate panel backs Kempthorne for Interior (AP 5/10)

White House Announcement:
President Bush Nominates Dirk Kempthorne as Interior Secretary (March 16, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Coeur d'Alene Tribe - http://www.cdatribe.com
Nez Perce Tribe - http://www.nezperce.org
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes - http://www.shoshonebannocktribes.com
Gov. Dirk Kempthorne - http://gov.idaho.gov

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