Rep. Haaland Will Be Sworn In This Week As Secretary of the Interior

Representative Deb Haaland submitted her letter of resignation from the United States House of Representatives today, ahead of her historic confirmation as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior. 

Representative Haaland was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018, breaking barriers as one of the first Native American women to serve in Congress. During her time in Washington, she has served on the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Natural Resources, including as Chair of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. She has also held leadership positions as Co-Chair of the Native American Caucus, Vice Chair of the Equality Caucus, the Democratic Women’s Caucus, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

During her time in Congress Representative Haaland focused on advancing policies that directly benefit New Mexico’s first Congressional district, while staying true to her strong progressive values. As a Congresswoman she held nearly 200 events to connect directly with her constituents and secured significant benefits for New Mexicans in legislative packages like the FY21 Agriculture appropriations bill and the American Rescue Plan. She worked on legislation such as the Not Invisible Act, the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act, and Savanna’s Act, which addressed issues faced by Native communities across the nation and were signed into law. As Chair of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Representative Haaland shepherded the Great American Outdoors Act and a bipartisan Public Lands Package through her subcommittee to the House Floor. She is known for her ability to work across the aisle to pass common sense measures that directly benefit communities in New Mexico and across America. 

“While we are sad to lose such a champion for New Mexico in Congress, we know that Representative Haaland will continue to make our state proud as she makes history as Secretary of the Interior,” said DPNM Chair Marg Elliston. “We are so grateful for her years of dedicated service, and we look forward to electing a Democrat to fill her seat and carry on her legacy as a fierce champion for New Mexican values.” 

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