Saturday, February 20, 2021

Deb Haaland’s nomination to lead Interior is a historic first for Native Americans. The GOP wants Biden to cancel it.

As Rep. Deb Haaland prepares for a Senate hearing Tuesday that could make her the first Native American in history to lead the Interior Department, her supporters are listening to Republican opposition to her nomination with worry — and anger. Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, is expected to face sharp questioning from GOP members on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee regarding her opposition to new oil and gas drilling leases on federal land — a position she shares with President Biden. Her lifetime score on environmental issues with the League of Conservation Voters is 98 percent. In addition to breaking a barrier at Interior, Haaland would be the first Native American Cabinet secretary. In a letter to Biden last month, congressional Republicans asked him to revoke her historic nomination over their concerns. At least one Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, the committee chairman, has said he has not decided how he will vote. But in a mid-January interview with The Washington Post, Manchin said he’s “always been deferential to whoever the president” picks for his Cabinet.Unlike the bipartisan approvals enjoyed by the last two nominees to run Interior, Haaland’s nomination may face a tie vote on the committee, which is composed of 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans. In that case, Democrats would still be able to bring Haaland’s nomination to the full Senate for a vote following several procedural steps...MORE

2 comments:

Steve West said...

Why do we care what her race is? Either we like her policies or we don’t. If part of the reason this person is a good choice is because of race? That’s a racist decision to put her there. The irony of these discussions is profane. I don’t care where she came from, I don’t care her race, and neither should anybody else. What a warped society. As a side comment, black history month is about to close. I’m reminded of Morgan Freeman’s interview with Mike Wallace on 60 minutes years ago when he was talking about how he didn’t like black history month... discussion was from Mike Wallace “then how do we fight racism?” And Morgan so eloquently stated “quit talking about it”. No truer words have been spoken

dr john said...

very dangerous