[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 48 (Monday, March 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONFIRMATION OF DEBRA ANNE HAALAND

 Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, I rise in support of the historic 
nomination of Deb Haaland to serve as the next Secretary of the 
Interior. When confirmed, Congresswoman Haaland will be the first 
Native American to serve in a Cabinet position.
  Deb Haaland's nomination to become Secretary of the Interior means so 
much to the future of this country.
  For the historically underrepresented and mistreated indigenous 
communities of these United States, it means that their experiences and 
perspectives will be valued and represented at the highest ranks of our 
Federal Government. This important milestone and this reflection of 
their stories cannot be overstated.
  It means that young Americans and perhaps especially young people in 
indigenous communities, who put themselves through school, take out 
student loans, raise children, and run a business, will see their 
struggles in this nominee and realize that they, too, can work their 
way to high-ranking government positions.
  Deb Haaland' s confirmation means that our country will, after 4 
years of neglect and catering to the fossil fuel industry, work again 
to ensure that our natural resources are conserved for the next 
generation.
  It means that the Federal Government will take swift, meaningful 
actions to address climate change.
  It means that trust and relationships between local communities, 
Tribes, and the Federal Government will be restored and strengthened.
  My Republican colleagues have gone to great lengths to smear 
Congresswoman Haaland as an extremist. They point to the commonsense 
policies and positions that she took while representing her 
constituents as ``radical'' and framing her as ``outside the 
mainstream.'' They are adamantly opposed to President Biden's 
environmental agenda and, regardless of what Deb Haaland says in 
response to their concerns, oppose her because they simply oppose the 
President's agenda.
  If you took them for their word, you would believe that fossil fuels 
would disappear overnight. You would believe that workers in that 
industry would immediately lose their jobs, that our energy grids would 
become unreliable, that the sky would be falling.
  What they don't talk about is how the Department of the Interior is 
putting a pause on new, not existing, oil and gas leases. A pause.
  They don't mention how Deb Haaland, during her confirmation hearing, 
repeatedly assured them that the administration will not abandon 
workers and families in the fossil fuel industry as we transition to 
clean energy.
  They ignored and discounted her repeated commitments to working with 
Senators and stakeholders in their respective States on issues that 
they care about.
  They don't talk about the impacts of climate change on American 
communities, how climate change is an environmental justice issue, or 
the benefits of expanding our country's clean energy production.
  Instead, their message is simple--if the nominee is not beholden to 
the fossil fuel industry, they won't support them.
  Yes, President Biden's environmental agenda is bold. His commitments 
to addressing climate change, which he identified as a crisis, are 
strong.
  We as a country cannot afford to continue with the fossil fuel 
extracting, carbon emitting status quo.
  We cannot keep burying our heads in the sand and kicking the can down 
the road, expecting our children and grandchildren to clean up our 
messes.
  President Biden committed to tackling some of the greatest challenges 
of our lifetime, and he named climate change as one of the four great 
crises of our time.
  Major changes will need to happen including our old ways of thinking. 
We need to be bold, innovative, and think outside the box.
  As our country takes on these issues, challenges and opportunities 
are inevitable. By having Deb Haaland at the helm of Interior, I know 
that our local communities from Hawaii, to Alaska, to Maine, and 
everywhere in between, will have a Secretary willing to listen, a 
Secretary who will take the time to understand their issues.
  Our country can successfully transition from overreliance on fossil 
fuels, increase our clean energy production, protect our environment, 
and make real progress on climate change by working together.
  Mr. President, a family emergency has kept me from being in 
attendence for today's vote. If I were present, I would have voted to 
confirm Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior. It is not only a 
historic vote but one of hope. I urge my colleagues to join me in my 
support. 
  (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)

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