In a historic vote, the US Senate on March 15 confirmed the first Native American to serve as a member of a president's cabinet and the first to serve as secretary of the US Department of the Interior. Following the chamber's 51 to 40 vote, Deb Haaland, a progressive lawmaker representing New Mexico, will lead the federal agency responsible for mineral and energy development on a significant portion of federal lands and waters. In her new role, Haaland, who was re-elected to serve a second two-year term in the US House of Representatives in November 2020, will also oversee Interior's environmental regulation and coordination with tribal governments.
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