[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 48 (Monday, March 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Confirmation of Debra Anne Haaland

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, just a word about the history-making 
nomination that was just approved by the Senate. We have now made 
history twice in the last few minutes. We have made history twice 
because we have nominated the first Native American Secretary of the 
Interior and the first Native American Cabinet official in American 
history.
  The confirmation of Deb Haaland is amazing. It is a huge step 
forward, and now it creates a government that more embodies the full 
richness and diversity of this country. We have known for so long the 
Native American community was treated badly, and we have a long way to 
go but we have begun with the ARP. And now with the approval of Deb 
Haaland to be the Secretary of the Interior, we are moving forward, and 
she will do a great job as Interior Secretary. She represents a 
turnaround because the Trump administration did more to undermine the 
relationship between the Federal Government and Tribes than has been 
done in a long time. Deb Haaland will reverse that and move much 
further along. So we are proud of what the Senate has done.