Congressman Pete Stauber's office confirmed that he cannot get behind the nomination of Deb Haaland as the Secretary of the Interior.

If confirmed, Haaland would be the first Native American to lead the Department of the Interior. She is from New Mexico, and was elected to Congress in November of 2018.

Now tribal leaders are "profoundly disappointed" with Stauber, saying in a letter that he did not consult with them about his opposition to her nomination, yet they believe he consulted with industrial interests. "This historic nomination is more important to us and all of Indian country than any other Cabinet nomination in recent history," they wrote. "We respectfully request that you reconsider your position on this matter."

In a statement, Stauber's office said, "Congressman Stauber knows that the extreme policies this nominee embraces, like the Green New Deal and legislation that would place a moratorium on mining in Northern Minnesota, would severely and negatively impact every economic sector and family in Northeastern Minnesota. The nominees’ support for extreme policies is not what hardworking families across northeast Minnesota need, which is why Congressman Stauber cannot get behind her nomination. The Congressman remains committed to working with and building strong relationships with tribal communities and their leaders, and he will continue to hear them out on this issue."

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