Republicans put procedural delay on Haaland's nomination

Two GOP Senators have put holds on Rep. Deb Haaland’s nomination to be Interior Secretary, putting up a procedural hurdle that will delay the New Mexico Democrat's final confirmation vote. Sens. Steve Daines (Mont.) and Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.) said they will force debate on Haaland’s nomination, which would last for 30 hours. Despite the delay, Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, is still expected to be confirmed since she’ll need just a simple majority to eventually get to the floor. A statement from Daines’s office said the senator thinks it's important to have a floor debate on Haaland’s record. “I will be forcing debate on Rep. Haaland’s nomination to Interior,” Daines said in a statement. “Her record is clear: she opposes pipelines & fossil fuels, ignores science when it comes to wildlife management & wants to ban trapping on public lands. Her views will hurt the Montana way of life and kill Montana jobs. We must consider the impact she will have on the West.” Lummis, in a statement, cited President Biden’s energy policies in her statement. Haaland has garnered support from Democrats and even some Republicans, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) saying they would vote for her...MORE