The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources announced Feb. 16 the hearing to consider the nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM-1) to be the secretary of the Interior will be on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
President Joe Biden nominated Haaland last month. On Biden’s first day in office, he instituted a 60-day halt on issuing new leases for oil and gas drilling on federal lands and halted construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
A group of 14 Republican House members sent a letter to Biden on Jan. 26 urging the withdrawal of the nomination of Haaland.
If confirmed, Haaland would be the first Native American to lead the agency and cabinet secretary.
