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Tribal leaders lobby Oklahoma Republican Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford to confirm Deb Haaland as interior secretary https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tribes-republicans-deb-haaland-interior-secretary_n_600b00e9c5b6fe97669bfe66?wxo
26 tribal leaders wrote to Inhofe + Lankford.
“As senators for a state with 39 federally recognized Tribal nations & one of the highest Native populations in the United States, you fully recognize the importance of including Native representation at the highest levels of govt."
“As senators for a state with 39 federally recognized Tribal nations & one of the highest Native populations in the United States, you fully recognize the importance of including Native representation at the highest levels of govt."
Idaho tribal leaders are also lobbying Republican Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo to confirm Deb Haaland.
Devon Boyer, chairman of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho, told them her nomination is an opportunity “to turn a dark page” on the agency’s history.
Devon Boyer, chairman of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho, told them her nomination is an opportunity “to turn a dark page” on the agency’s history.
What dark page of the Interior Dept's history, you may ask?
The page that includes its policies of taking millions of acres of tribal homelands away from tribes + forcibly removing Native children from homes & putting them into white boarding schools where they were abused.
The page that includes its policies of taking millions of acres of tribal homelands away from tribes + forcibly removing Native children from homes & putting them into white boarding schools where they were abused.
Haaland's grandparents were among those put into those boarding schools.
She introduced a bill last fall to make the federal govt address the “intergenerational trauma” it has caused for Native Americans with its former boarding school policy. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/deb-haaland-elizabeth-warren-indian-boarding-schools-tribal-issues_n_5f735d51c5b6f622a0c57283
She introduced a bill last fall to make the federal govt address the “intergenerational trauma” it has caused for Native Americans with its former boarding school policy. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/deb-haaland-elizabeth-warren-indian-boarding-schools-tribal-issues_n_5f735d51c5b6f622a0c57283
“Native people are resilient and strong, but the painful and traumatic history of genocide and forced assimilation by the federal government lives on in our communities and our people have never been able to fully heal," Haaland said at the time.
In light of that trauma, Boyer told Sens. Risch and Crapo:
"The Tribes view the nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland as a historic opportunity to put this past to rest while opening a new era for Indian tribal govt to work in true partnership with the U.S." https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tribes-republicans-deb-haaland-interior-secretary_n_600b00e9c5b6fe97669bfe66?wxo
"The Tribes view the nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland as a historic opportunity to put this past to rest while opening a new era for Indian tribal govt to work in true partnership with the U.S." https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tribes-republicans-deb-haaland-interior-secretary_n_600b00e9c5b6fe97669bfe66?wxo
Haaland likely already has the votes to be confirmed. And there's no reason to think at least some GOPers won't vote for her.
But support from these OK/ID senators would do a couple things: give her a stronger vote + reflect their willingness to listen to tribes in their states.
But support from these OK/ID senators would do a couple things: give her a stronger vote + reflect their willingness to listen to tribes in their states.
