The U.S. Senate confirmed Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico’s Laguna Pueblo, to the interior secretary position. The confirmation marks the first Cabinet level position held by a Native American. Haaland made history in 2018 as one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. The Department of the Interior is responsible for U.S. government relationships with Tribal nations. She will also manage the nation’s natural resources, public land, and endangered species.

During her confirmation hearings, Haaland reaffirmed her commitment to fighting climate change, calling it, “the challenge of our lifetime.” The Biden administration has pledged to bring the U.S. to carbon neutral by 2050.

You can read a more in-depth report from NPR here:  https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977558590/deb-haaland-confirmed-as-first-native-american-interior-secretary