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Biden expected to pick Rep. Haaland to be first Native American to lead Interior Dept.

Deb Haaland
Posted at 1:49 PM, Dec 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-17 15:09:01-05

President-elect Joe Biden has picked Representative Deb Haaland to serve as the Secretary of the Interior, according to multiple reports.

Haaland, a Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico, would be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department if her nomination is confirmed. The department oversees America’s natural resources, including tribal lands.

The nomination could be a turning point for the department, which has often had a tense relationship with the country’s 574 federally recognized tribes.

Haaland is a member of Pueblo of Laguna, according to the Washington Post.