This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

“I’ll be fierce for all of us, for our planet and all of our protected land,” – Rep. Deb Haaland

Rep. Deb Haaland is a U.S. congresswoman representing New Mexico’s 1st district and as of December 17, 2020, she is Joe Biden’s nominee for the secretary of the interior. If Rep. Haaland is confirmed as secretary of the interior, she would be the first ever Native American to hold the position or even to hold a seat as a Cabinet secretary. But her confirmation would mean much more beyond a historic win for representation in the federal government. To understand how impactful her confirmation could be, it is important to understand more about Rep. Haaland and about the duties and responsibilities of the secretary of the interior.

bird\'s-eye view of sitting on bench while discussion — Marco Orilesi/Unsplash

Rep. Haaland describes herself as a 35th generation New Mexican, referring to her heritage as a Pueblo Indian that comes from her mother’s side. Since becoming a member of congress, Haaland has sponsored several bills expanding resources and providing aid to native communities, and promoting environmental stewardship. But, Rep. Haaland’s journey to congress wasn’t always a glamorous one. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with an english degree at the age of 33 and gave birth to her daughter, Somáh, four days later. After earning her Bachelor’s degree, Rep. Haaland spent a period of time living with friends as she struggled financially. To put herself through law school, she held a number of jobs including starting her own small business, making and selling Pueblo Salsa out of her car.

two native americans playing woodwind instruments in traditional clothing — Gabriela Custódio da Silva

Through her perseverance and hard work, however, Rep. Haaland was able to acquire the tools and the passion to make a difference in her community and beyond. After graduating from the University of New Mexico Law School in 2006, she took on a more active role in politics by volunteering to mobilize the native vote for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Rep. Haaland used her position as New Mexico’s votes director for Native Americans to help Obama win re-election in 2012 and became the Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party three years later. In 2016, she went beyond the borders of her own state to collaborate with native people from the Standing Rock Sioux’s reservation in North and South Dakota to fight against the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline.

The Department of the Interior oversees the management of the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage. They also manage a number of federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. National Park Service. As secretary of the interior, Rep. Haaland would be in charge of directing the department and the agencies they oversee, giving her a big role in making decisions that protect the interests of native communities and the environment.

Having a Native American at the helm of a department with such an immense impact on Native American people is long overdue. Her work as a grassroots community organizer and at both state and federal levels of government have prepared her for a position in the presidential cabinet while her own experiences on the receiving end of policy addressing the issues of Native Americans gives her the necessary perspective to guide the department better than previous secretaries of the interior. To be confirmed, Rep. Haaland will have to be reviewed in a confirmation hearing and then her nomination will be accepted or rejected based on a simple majority vote in the Senate.

Sources:

Deb Haaland could make history for Native Americans with Cabinet post (usatoday.com)

Opinion | After Five Centuries, a Native American With Real Power – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Rep. Deb Haaland to be first Native American interior secretary – The Washington Post

U.S. Department of the Interior – Ballotpedia

Confirmation process for Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees – Ballotpedia

Debra A. Haaland | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Debra Haaland – Ballotpedia

SOIL STORIES with Congresswoman Deb Haaland – NM Healthy Soil Working Group