The U.S. Senate on Monday voted 51-40 to confirm Debra Haaland as Secretary of the Interior. Haaland most recently served as U.S. Representative for New Mexico’s 1st congressional district, with previous experience including service as Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico, tribal administrator at San Felipe Pueblo, and small business owner.
Upon confirmation, Haaland said that “[t]ogether, we will work to advance President Biden’s vision to honor our nation-to-nation relationship with Tribes, address the climate and nature crises, advance environmental justice, and build a clean energy future that creates good-paying jobs and powers our nation.”
The Senate earlier this also month voted 84-15 to confirm Gina Raimondo as Secretary of Commerce. Raimondo most recently served as Governor of Rhode Island, with previous experience including service as Rhode Island’s General Treasurer and founder of her own venture capital firm.
Upon confirmation, Raimondo said that “[g]rowing economic opportunity for American businesses and workers is the mission that has driven my career, and as we face overlapping crises that have hurt our economy and robbed too many families of their sense of financial security, that mission is more critical than ever,” adding that the Commerce Dept. “will work relentlessly to create good-paying jobs, level the playing field for our workers and businesses, and build an economy that does not leave any communities behind.”
