Debra Haaland

Debra Haaland was confirmed as U.S. secretary of the interior on March 15, 2021. Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo people and is the first Native American Cabinet member in U.S. history. Previously, Haaland served as U.S. representative for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District from 2019-2021. Haaland and Sharice Davids were the first Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress.

Haaland was born on December 2, 1960, in Winslow, Arizona. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Mexico in 1994 and a Juris Doctor in Indian law from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006.

In 2012, Haaland served as New Mexico's vote director for Native Americans in Barack Obama's presidential reelection campaign. From 2013-2015, she served as the tribal administrator for the San Felipe Pueblo. In 2014, she ran for lieutenant governor of New Mexico with gubernatorial candidate Gary King, losing to the Republican ticket of Susana Martinez and John Sanchez. From 2015-2017, Haaland was chair of New Mexico's Democratic Party.

For information on Haaland's policy subject areas, committee appointments and sponsored/co-sponsored legislation during her time in the U.S. House of Representatives, please visit her profile on https://www.congress.gov.