Senate Confirms Deb Haaland as Interior Sec., First Native American Cabinet Secretary in U.S. History

The Senate on Monday afternoon confirmed Rep. Deb Haaland (D) to be the Biden administration’s Interior Secretary, a historic pick since the New Mexico Democrat is the first Native American to hold a position in a White House cabinet.

Haaland, who had just been re-elected to her second term as congresswoman for New Mexico’s 1st district last fall, was tapped by President Joe Biden to lead the agency in charges of the nation’s public lands and cultural heritage sites. Her nomination was approved by the full Senate on a narrow bipartisan majority of 51–40, with four Republicans voting with 47 Democrats (nine senators did not vote).

The staunch environmentalist’s nomination had encountered some signifiant pushback among after Biden announced it, in particular from Republicans like Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), who argued that she wouldn’t respect “all stakeholders in the West.”

However, after a concerted campaign — involving two separate, hour-plus conversations — moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted to advance Haaland out of the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee in early March, despite her public opposition to oil drilling. Murkowski cited the significance of having a Native American acting as steward of the country’s lands and resources in her decision to support Haaland out of committee and in the final roll call vote to confirm her.

Murkowski was joined in voting for Haaland by the other Alaska senator, Dan Sullivan (R), as well as fellow Republicans Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).