Hearing for 1st Native American Cabinet secretary set

WASHINGTON — Tribal leaders in Nevada pushed Monday for Senate confirmation of U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland, D-N.M., to be the first Native American to head the Interior Department as opposition grew from lawmakers in oil- and gas-producing states.

“I think most of Indian Country is behind Deb Haaland for this appointment,” said Chairman Arlan Melendez of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.

Amber Torres, chairwoman of the Walker River Paiute Tribe, told the Review-Journal the appointment of Haaland would mean that Native Americans “would be included at the table” and in discussions when they involve public lands.

Haaland is expected to appear before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Tuesday.

GOP opposition

Some Republican lawmakers have announced opposition over Haaland’s embrace of the Green New Deal and her opposition to the extraction of oil and natural gas on public lands. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has called Haaland’s stance on fossil fuels a “reckless” position that will push more energy workers into the unemployment line.

Barrasso and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., both members of the committee, have announced their opposition.

Daines called her positions on energy “radical,” and in line with a Biden administration that will reverse policies that help energy-producing states.

But tribal leaders and conservationists said confirmation of Haaland would provide an opportunity to protect public lands and restore trust among American Indian and Native Alaskan communities following centuries of strained relations with the government.

In Nevada, Melendez said he has worked with Haaland in the past and sees her as the best candidate to strike a balance between conservation, the use of resources and cultural protection.

Haaland would work to find a compromise in how best to use public lands and those resources, he said.

“She has a pretty challenging task, but I think she’s the right person to really accomplish that,” Melendez said. “She’s really good at getting collaboration.”

Conservation groups support

Conservation groups called for swift confirmation of Haaland.

The Wilderness Society and other organizations sought to challenge arguments by conservatives about the Biden administration position on climate and Haaland’s appointment.

Haaland has opposed fracking to extract oil and natural gas, and she has opposed the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Those positions are expected to be under the spotlight when she appears before the Senate committee.

Haaland along with Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., were the first two Native American women to be elected to Congress in 2018, when Democrats regained control of the House. If confirmed, she would be the first Native American woman to hold a Cabinet-level position.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, congratulated Haaland on her historic nomination when the two spoke in January in advance of the hearing.

“More than 85 percent of Nevada is publicly-held land, which gives rise to many complicated issues for Nevada’s mining, grazing and outdoor recreation industries, as well as Nevada’s tribal communities,” Cortez Masto said following her meeting with Haaland.

“From improving public land management to maintaining good government-to-government relationships with Indian tribes, many of the issues Nevada confronts are managed by the Department of the Interior,” Cortez Masto said.

Restoring trust

Haaland is an enrolled member of the New Mexico Laguna Pueblo.

While in the House, she served on the Natural Resources Committee, and her nomination is supported by Chairman Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.

Tribal members see her nomination as a step toward restoring trust in the federal government following centuries of policies that have had a negative impact on ancestral lands and Native Americans.

“There is a lot of historical trauma,” Torres said. “And the biggest thing is this would right some of those wrongs.”

Nevada has 27 tribes spread out across the state, Torres said.

With the majority of the land under control of the federal government, decisions by the Bureau of Land Management and myriad other agencies under the Interior Department impact tribes in a variety of ways.

With Haaland as Interior secretary, Torres said Native Americans would have their voices and concerns heard.

“We always appreciate that opportunity of being at the table because, as you know, if you are not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Torres said.

“It would be absolutely momentous for Indian Country to have somebody at the table of her stature,” Torres said.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.