‘It will be historic’: Deb Haaland #DebForInterior

Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, has already broken ground as one of the first two Native women elected to Congress. And she will soon be confirmed as the next Secretary of the Interior, asserted Schumer, the Democratic majority leader in the U.S. Senate.

“The Senate will move forward with another very historic nominee that makes us so proud,” Schumer said. “Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico to serve as the next Secretary of the Interior.”

“She will be confirmed on Monday,” Schumer noted.

The Department of the Interior is the federal agency with the most trust and treaty responsibilities in Indian Country. But Schumer that tribes and their citizens have not always comes first, despite being owed legal obligations by the U.S.

“For too long, tribal nations have been denied a seat at the table where decisions were made that impacted their lives and their land,” Schumer said. “Not only will Secretary Haaland ensure that they get a seat, she will bring her own lived experiences to the table alongside them.”

According to Schumer, the Trump administration “greatly undermined trust in the federal government in tribal lands.” But he said Haaland will chart a new course as a member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet.

“Rep. Haaland will move the department in a dramatically different direction,” Schumer said. “One of her most important responsibilities will be to restore and uphold the federal government’s obligation to sovereign tribal nations.”

“I cannot think of a better candidate to take on this job than Rep. Haaland, and I greatly look forward to confirming her,” he said.

“It will be historic,” said Schumer.

Schumer has scheduled an initial procedural vote on Haaland’s nomination on the afternoon of March 11. A final vote is expected to take place on March 15.

Note: Cover photo courtesy House Committee on Natural Resources, Democrats