Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement following reports that President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Congresswoman Deb Haaland to be U.S. Interior Secretary:

“I want to congratulate my friend and colleague Congresswoman Deb Haaland on her historic nomination. If confirmed by the Senate, Congresswoman Haaland will be the first Indigenous person to lead the Interior Department. This marks a turning point for Native American representation at the agency that oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs and our public lands. Congresswoman Haaland’s nomination is an opportunity to right many past wrongs, especially the badly mismanaged U.S. Treaty obligations to our native tribes.

“As a senior member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I look forward to working closely with Congresswoman Haaland. Having worked beside her these last two years, I know her commitment to our public lands and natural resources is deep and unshakeable. After four long years of unqualified, ethically compromised leaders at the Interior Department, Congresswoman Haaland will provide the thoughtful management this critical agency needs.”

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