Sen. Kelly to vote to confirm Haaland
She’d be first Indigenous secretary of the Interior
As a growing number of tribal and Native community leaders rally around Interior Secretary-designate Deb Haaland, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly said he would vote to confirm her when the Senate takes up the nomination.
Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, was one of the first two enrolled tribal members in the continental U.S. to be elected to Congress and would be the first Indigenous Interior secretary if her nomination is confirmed. A member of Laguna Pueblo who says she’s a 35th generation New Mexican, she had recently been sworn in for her second term in Congress.
Kelly, a Democrat, said Haaland would bring strong leadership to the agency, which Arizona needs.
“I am committed to working with Rep. Haaland, Republicans and Democrats on policies that help our state’s economy grow, honor our outdoor heritage, and ensure that the federal government lives up to its treaty obligations to Arizona’s tribal communities,” he said in a statement.
Haaland, 60, was nominated by President Joe Biden in December to head the Interior Department. The huge agency oversees most American Indian agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, which an investigation by The Arizona Republic found has been failing its students for years.
Haaland faced two days of often intense grilling from senators on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday about her stances on fossil fuel extraction, environmental policies and other policies she would pursue in her role managing the sprawling agency.
The Interior Department oversees about 20% of all land in the U.S., coastal waters and lands, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Reclamation, in addition to the Indian and other agencies.
Haaland has garnered strong support among Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders and other Indigenous peoples, as well as many environmental groups.
Arizona tribal and community leaders also have come out in support of Haaland.
“I am committed to working with Rep. Haaland, Republicans and Democrats on policies that help our state’s economy grow.”
Sen. Mark Kelly D-Ariz.
The Arizona Indigenous People’s Caucus, which includes all six members of the Arizona Legislature who are tribal members or have tribal heritage, issued a statement on Feb. 23 calling for Haaland’s confirmation.
“Congresswoman Haaland knows government policies such as the forced removal of thousands of Native children from their families between 1860 and 1978,” the letter said, noting that Haaland’s grandmother was sent to a Catholic boarding school at age 8.
“Congresswoman Haaland’s life experiences make her uniquely suited to manage the priorities of protecting our natural resources for generations to come and to protect the economic wellbeing of the communities whose livelihoods rely upon our natural resources,” the group wrote. They also said Haaland understands the disproportionate impact that climate change has had on Indigenous communities.
In a letter to Kelly, Shan Lewis, vice chairman of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and president of the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona, said “tribal leaders fully understand the critical role of the Secretary of Interior in carrying out the trust relationship between the United States and federally recognized Indian Tribes.” The association represents 21 of the 22 tribes in Arizona.
The only tribe that is not a member of the association, the Navajo Nation, sent its own support letter.
“Representative Deb Haaland demonstrated outstanding leadership on important issues that are central to the mission of the U.S. Department of the Interior — protecting people, public lands and economic opportunity,” despite overcoming hardships like raising a child alone and receiving government assistance to become a public servant, wrote Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer.
“She exhibits the resiliency, character, and the extraordinary energy needed to serve as the next Secretary of the Interior,” they said.
Several other tribes also sent letters to Kelly asking him to confirm Haaland.
Traci Morris, executive director of the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University, wrote on the website The Conversation about the historic nomination.
“Indian Country has a significant history with the Interior Department that has more often been bad than good,” wrote Morris, a member of the Chickasaw Nation. “But Haaland’s record shows that she is committed to making progress on larger challenges that affect all Americans. She has been especially vocal on climate, environmental protection, public lands and natural resource management.”
Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis changed his Facebook profile picture to one of him and Haaland.
“Making history today! Confirmation hearing of Cong. Deb Haaland for Secretary of the Interior,” Lewis wrote. “Calling on ALL Senators to move to confirm Deb so all of Indian Country has a strong federal partner! #BeFierce #DebforInterior #romeroartprojects”
Navajo County Supervisor Dawnafe Whitesinger, the first White Mountain Apache to be elected to the office, posted on Facebook: “Congresswoman Deb Haaland’s confirmation hearing continues tomorrow, then the Senate committee on Energy and Natural Resources has until March 2nd to vote to confirm her. It’s more important than ever to contact your senators to tell them to support #DebForInterior.”
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which held this week’s hearings, also said he would vote for confirmation.
“While we do not agree on every issue, she reaffirmed her strong commitment to bipartisanship, addressing the diverse needs of our country and maintaining our nation’s energy independence,” he said.
Manchin, known as the biggest fossil fuel proponent on the Democratic side of the Senate, said in a statement: “I believe Deb Haaland will be a Secretary of the Interior for every American and will vote to confirm her.”
Debra Krol covers issues related to Indigenous communities in Arizona and the intermountain West. Reach the reporter at debra.krol@AZCentral.com or at 602-444-8490. Follow her on Twitter at @debkrol.
Coverage of Indigenous issues at the intersection of climate, culture and commerce is supported by the Catena Foundation and the Water Funder Initiative.