Deb Haaland a member of the Laguna Pueblo Native American people, set to be Confirmed as Secretary of the Interior

ByRachel Tilseth

Mar 1, 2021

A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior.
Congresswoman Deb Haaland Nominee for Secretary of the Interior

I made a call to Congresswoman Deb Haaland’s office on Thursday February 25th to let her know what was going on in Wisconsin and received a call back on Friday from her aide. They left a me message thanking me for leaving a message and providing my feedback. I returned the call and gave Haaland’s aid the most recent news on the court ordered wolf hunt. I let Haaland’s office know about the barbarism that is happening towards a newly delisted endangered species, Wisconsin’s gray wol. Congresswoman Haaland is Biden’s pick for Secretary of the Interior. As of this date she is Haaland is waiting to be confirmed.

Senator Joe Manchin III, the West Virginia Democrat who heads the Senate Energy Committee, announced Wednesday that he would vote to confirm Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico to head the Interior Department, most likely ensuring that one of President Biden’s most embattled cabinet nominees will be confirmed to office, despite escalating opposition to her from Republicans. Source NYT February 24, 2021

Rep. Deb Haaland would be the country’s first Native American Cabinet secretary. She opposed many Trump environmental rollbacks on public lands and considers climate change “the challenge of our lifetime.”
Juan Labreche/AP

The latest on Biden’s cabinet from NPR of of February 25th: Secretary of the InteriorDeb Haaland needs confirmation. The position: Oversees public and federal lands and their natural resources, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service. The person: Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico was elected to the House of Representatives in 2019, one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress. If confirmed, she will be the first Native American person in a Cabinet role. Read more about Deb Haaland ›

More about Haaland from NPR

Haaland was a vocal critic of many of those moves. As chair of a House Natural Resources subcommittee that oversees Interior, she has led hearings on everything from the Trump administration’s handling of national park reopenings during the coronavirus pandemic to its treaty-obligated communications with tribal governments for projects that affect their lands.

“Tribal consultation is basically nonexistent during this Trump administration,” Haaland said. “President-elect Biden has promised to consult with tribes, which I think will help immensely with some of the environmental issues that he wants to address.”

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that Indigenous people are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change in the United States. Alaska Native villagers and a Native American community in south Louisiana are among the first climate refugees in the country. Both are being relocated due to rising seas.

Indigenous people are also disproportionately affected by environmental pollution, says Kandi White, the Native energy and climate campaign director at the Indigenous Environmental Network.

I reached out to the White House via their switchboard and was told that they are working to fully staff the White House, and it’s in progress.

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By Rachel Tilseth

Rachel Tilseth is a Menomonie, Wisconsin-based environmental writer, filmmaker, and owner of Wolves of Douglas County WI Films & Media. Her work explores the intricate relationships between humans, wildlife, and local ecosystems. Through award-winning documentaries like People & Wolves, she seamlessly intertwines emotional depth with vital cultural and environmental education. Tilseth highlights environmental and economic causes that threaten vulnerable ecosystems. Through freelance writing, she advocates for sustainable coexistence between human communities and apex predators. As a documentarian, Tilseth has established a formidable voice in conservation media. Her acclaimed short film, People & Wolves: A Story of Coexistence, won Best Documentary Short at the Red Cedar Film Festival. The project features insights from renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, alongside perspectives from Ojibwa tribal members, hunters, and biologists. Operating independently of traditional non-profits, Tilseth champions grassroots citizen organizations. She works to educate the public on ecological economics and environmental sustainability to foster coexistence with nature.