Politics
Biden’s Interior Pick Squeaks Through Panel Amid Oil Ban Fears
- Deb Haaland set to become first Native American cabinet member
- Republicans cited her past opposition to fracking in no votes
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The Senate energy committee voted along near party lines to advance President Joe Biden’s Interior secretary nominee, over the objections of Republicans who said Deb Haaland’s past opposition to fossil fuels made her unfit to serve as the chief U.S. manager of hundreds of millions of acres of federal land.
That territory is prime real estate for oil and gas development -- as well as hiking, grazing and conservation -- and Republicans said entrusting that land to Haaland could mean forfeiting its energy potential.