WASHINGTON – The Indigenous Environmental Network enthusiastically supports President Biden’s nomination of Representative Debra Haaland to the cabinet position of Secretary of the Department of the Interior in her confirmation hearing tomorrow.
Representative Haaland leading the DOI is a historic and necessary step to healing the tribal relationships with the United States. We are confident 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 has already demonstrated her capacity in all of these areas. 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.
We sincerely hope that the US Senate will swiftly confirm Representative Haaland. She has previously 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 confirmation will mark a historic moment in which Indigenous Peoples voice will be represented in spaces they never were before.