Congressional Record, Haaland Nomination Debate and Cloture Motions — Senate, March 11, 2021
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated March 11, 2021, at pages S1484 and S1485. The Senate votes on the motion to discharge the nomination of Xavier Becerra, with the result announced as yeas 51 and nays 48 (Rollcall Vote No. 117). In executive session Mr. Schumer files cloture motions on the nominations of Katherine C. Tai to be United States Trade Representative and of Isabella Casillas Guzman to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Wyden speaks on the coming vote on the nomination of Debra Anne Haaland to be Secretary of the Interior, and Mrs. Lummis also speaks on that nomination.
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“Congressional Record, Haaland Nomination Debate and Cloture Motions — Senate, March 11, 2021.”
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S1484 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 11, 2021
VOTE ON MOTION TO DISCHARGE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CLOTURE MOTION
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send
SCHATZ). Under the previous order, the move to proceed to legislative session. a cloture motion to the desk.
question is on agreeing to the motion The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo-
to discharge the nomination of Xavier question is on agreeing to the motion. ture motion having been presented
Becerra from the Committee on Fi- The motion was agreed to. under rule XXII, the Chair directs the
nance. clerk to read the motion.
f
Mr. CARDIN. I ask for the yeas and The senior assistant legislative clerk
nays. EXECUTIVE SESSION read as follows:
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a CLOTURE MOTION
sufficient second? We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
There appears to be a sufficient sec- EXECUTIVE CALENDAR ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
ond. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
The clerk will call the roll. move to proceed to executive session to move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
The bill clerk called the roll. nation of Executive Calendar No. 29, Kath-
consider Calendar No. 26.
erine C. Tai, of the District of Columbia, to
Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is The PRESIDING OFFICER. The be United States Trade Representative, with
necessarily absent: the Senator from question is on agreeing to the motion. the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and
North Carolina (Mr. BURR). The motion was agreed to. Plenipotentiary.
The result was announced—yeas 51, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Charles E. Schumer, Chris Van Hollen,
nays 48, as follows: clerk will report the nomination. Michael F. Bennet, Jack Reed, Tammy
[Rollcall Vote No. 117 Ex.] The senior assistant legislative clerk Duckworth, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff
read the nomination of Isabella Merkley, Christopher A. Coons, Rich-
YEAS—51
ard Blumenthal, Patrick J. Leahy,
Baldwin Heinrich Peters Casillas Guzman, of California, to be
Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Brian
Bennet Hickenlooper Reed Administrator of the Small Business Schatz, Robert Menendez, Richard J.
Blumenthal Hirono Rosen Administration.
Booker Kaine Sanders
Durbin, Martin Heinrich, Maria Cant-
Brown Kelly Schatz CLOTURE MOTION well.
Cantwell King Schumer Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous con-
Cardin Klobuchar Shaheen a cloture motion to the desk.
Carper Leahy Sinema
sent that the mandatory quorum calls
Casey Luján Smith The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- for the cloture motions filed today be
Collins Manchin Stabenow ture motion having been presented waived.
Coons Markey Tester under rule XXII, the Chair directs the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Cortez Masto Menendez Van Hollen
Duckworth Merkley Warner
clerk to read the motion. objection, it is so ordered.
Durbin Murphy Warnock The senior assistant legislative clerk The Senator from Oregon.
Feinstein Murray Warren read as follows: NOMINATION OF DEBRA ANNE HAALAND
Gillibrand Ossoff Whitehouse
Hassan Padilla Wyden
CLOTURE MOTION Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, on Mon-
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- day, the Senate will vote on the nomi-
NAYS—48 ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the nation of Congresswoman DEB
Barrasso Grassley Portman Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby HAALAND to serve as Secretary of the
Blackburn Hagerty Risch move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
Blunt Hawley Romney Interior. I have had a chance to vote on
nation of Executive Calendar No. 26, Isabella
Boozman Hoeven Rounds
Casillas Guzman, of California, to be Admin- a number of nominations over the
Braun Hyde-Smith Rubio years. I want to tell the Senate that,
Capito Inhofe Sasse istrator of the Small Business Administra-
Cassidy Johnson Scott (FL) tion. on Monday, the Senate can make his-
Cornyn Kennedy Scott (SC) Charles E. Schumer, Benjamin L. Cardin, tory.
Cotton Lankford Shelby Richard Blumenthal, Christopher A. The Congresswoman—and she faced
Cramer Lee Sullivan Coons, Patty Murray, Chris Van Hol-
Crapo Lummis Thune
some strong questioning in the com-
len, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, mittee—understands that protecting
Cruz Marshall Tillis
Brian Schatz, Cory A. Booker, Amy
Daines McConnell Toomey public lands and boosting rural com-
Ernst Moran Tuberville Klobuchar, Sherrod Brown, Angus S.
King, Jr., Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Tim munities and jobs are two sides of the
Fischer Murkowski Wicker
Graham Paul Young Kaine, Tammy Baldwin, Ron Wyden. same coin. Too often, in the debates in
Washington, DC, they really involve
NOT VOTING—1 f
something resembling false choices.
Burr LEGISLATIVE SESSION You can either be for jobs or you can
The motion was agreed to. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I be for protecting your treasures. The
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant move to proceed to legislative session. Congresswoman understands that those
to the provisions in S. Res. 27 and the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The two are not mutually exclusive and
motion being agreed to, the nomina- question is on agreeing to the motion. that, in the West, particularly when
tion will be placed on the Executive The motion was agreed to. you look at our exciting recreation
Calendar. f
economic engine, this is a chance to
really generate more jobs, protect
f EXECUTIVE SESSION treasures, and enhance our quality of
life.
EXECUTIVE SESSION Now, I recognize that there have been
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR powerful interest groups that try, for
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I example, to protect the interests of big
move to proceed to executive session to oil companies at taxpayer expense, at
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR consider Calendar No. 29. the expense of clean air and clean
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under The PRESIDING OFFICER. The water, and, as I say, at the expense of
the previous order, the Senate will re- question is on agreeing to the motion. everybody who wants to get outside. I
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sume consideration of the following The motion was agreed to. know that part of the debate is prop-
nomination, which the clerk will re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ping up a dirty environmental policy
port. clerk will report the nomination. and declining industry that, mostly,
The senior assistant legislative clerk The senior assistant legislative clerk adds to the current climate crisis.
read the nomination of Debra Anne read the nomination of Katherine C. In the long run, what we need to do
Haaland, of New Mexico, to be Sec- Tai, of the District of Columbia, to be is find fresh ways to bring Americans
retary of the Interior. United States Trade Representative, together around areas, particularly for
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- with the rank of Ambassador Extraor- rural communities, that are going to
jority leader. dinary and Plenipotentiary. bridge the urban-rural divide, reduce
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March 11, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1485
inequality in America, and be a long- erally gone on for decades. We brought to walk away making quick dollars at
term solution for rural economies. The together ranchers and Tribes and envi- the expense of the environment.
Congresswoman, our nominee on Mon- ronmental folks, and we said: Here People of this country now have a
day, knows that there is a better way again, what we can do is create rural chance, almost like you take a dilapi-
to protect and create rural jobs, and I employment. We can protect the ag dated stage out of an auditorium, and
will give you just one example. economy and the farmer’s way of life. now we have got a chance to start
Congressman NEGUSE and I have in- We can also create great opportunities anew. We have got a nominee who is
troduced a major piece of legislation to for recreation in that part of the State. qualified. She is fair. She is going to
create the 21st Century Civilian Con- The Congresswoman got it in a second. concentrate on bringing people to-
servation Corps. Our legislation would She said that is exactly what we need gether, and she is going to make his-
create thousands of jobs in rural Amer- to do—build models that bring farmers tory.
ica, and these workers would help to and ranchers together with environ- It is long, long, long past time, col-
preserve public lands and prevent the mental folks and scientists who under- leagues, that this country had a Native
kind of massive wildfires America has stand the nature of some of these chal- American leading the Interior Depart-
seen in recent years. lenges from a scientific and climate ment.
What I can say to colleagues is that standpoint. So I pledge after that second hearing,
a major effort like this will create I will tell you that I have gone to I am going to come back on the floor
scores and scores of jobs for local busi- more than my share of nomination and not just vote for her but speak for
nesses and local vendors. Certainly, we hearings, but what I saw was a nominee her because her decency, her thought-
are talking about the local hardware with exceptional backbone and de- fulness—I see my friend from New Mex-
store, chainsaw outlets, and those who cency, who was being clear, being ico here—that sense of caring and that
sell logging equipment. There are straightforward. At times, it was a lit- fairness in the face of some very, very
going to be lots of opportunities for tle hard to take because the ques- aggressive questioning makes me feel
private sector employment stemming tioning, I thought, was not just strong that this is a very special sort of lead-
from the arrival of the 21st Century Ci- but over the line. At the same time, er.
vilian Conservation Corps. We will also the Congresswoman showed her calm, Congresswoman HAALAND has my
have a lot more opportunity for out- her knowledge, and her perseverance in full, unqualified support, and west-
door recreation, boosting tourism reve- the face of this. erners are looking forward very much
nues, and fewer communities reduced I am just going to close with this. to working with her, get her to Oregon,
to ash by wildfire—a win all around. Colleagues, I have tried to kind of and see what our challenges are.
Now, the Congresswoman also talked make my calling card a public service I urge all Members of the Senate on
to us about another priority for rural of bringing people together, finding Monday to support the historic nomi-
America, and that is helping Native fresh ideas, and the very kinds of ap- nation of Congresswoman HAALAND to
American Tribes across the country proaches that the Congresswoman head the Interior Department.
build and repair drinking water infra- I yield the floor.
talked about during two, I felt, very
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
structure and that she would make it a draining kinds of sessions. My view is
KING). The Senator from Wyoming.
priority to help Tribes where there is a that it is critical for the Senate to be Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. President, I
lack of drinking water, threatening the able to recognize there are going to be thank Senator DAINES for his leader-
health of those Tribal members. This is disagreements. The Senate is made up ship on this issue.
especially a problem in Oregon, where- of a lot of people with very strong The only thing the previous speaker
in the Warm Springs Tribe has burst views, and what I believe we ought to and I have in common is agreeing that
pipes and regular ‘‘boil water’’ notices, insist on of all candidates is a level of it is high time that we had a Native
but I will tell you that Warm Springs decency and respect for all concerned. American woman to lead the Depart-
is not alone in this country, and the The Congresswoman showed that in the ment of the Interior.
Congresswoman understands. She said: face of some very strong questioning. On behalf of the people of Wyoming,
Water is a basic human right. When I was done, I said: Not only am I am opposing President Biden’s nomi-
The next point that I want to touch I going to support you because of your nation of Congresswoman HAALAND to
on with respect to this exceptional views on rural jobs and your recog- serve as Secretary of the Interior.
Member of Congress is that she really nizing that protecting jobs and the en- As Secretary, she will continue the
has a track record of bringing parties vironment are not mutually exclu- job-killing, anti-energy attack on Wyo-
together with differing views. Now, I sive—that we can do both—but because ming’s livelihood that President Biden
know some Members of the Senate of your track record of bipartisanship, started during his first week in office.
have gone to great lengths to say: Oh, featuring Congressman YOUNG’s com- Let’s recap just how bad President
she is some kind of far-out radical. ing here. Biden’s Executive actions are for my
Colleagues, that just doesn’t pass the Also, I come to the floor of the U.S. State.
smell test. She has been a leader in Senate to say that I was there for both A University of Wyoming analysis
generating bipartisan support for ef- sessions, and I saw an elected official, a found that Wyoming stands to lose
forts in the House. She has one of the Congresswoman, handle a lot of very nearly $13 billion in tax revenue if we
most conservative Members of the tough, strong questions, and at every don’t lift the Biden ban on new oil and
House singing her praises in coming be- level, she tried to stick to the facts. gas leasing and drilling on Federal
fore the committee, and I went several She tried to make the case for what lands. To put this in context, $13 bil-
times just because I wanted to hear the she thought was a great opportunity, lion in tax revenue would educate
Congresswoman address this crucial especially in the West, but that she 60,000 Wyoming students from kinder-
issue of how important rural jobs are, would be in all of the communities that garten through high school graduation.
how rural jobs and protecting the envi- the Department of the Interior is re- It would fund the University of Wyo-
ronment are not mutually exclusive, sponsible for and that everyone would ming for the next 59 years. It would
and how you can bring people together. get a fair shake. Every Democrat and fund our public safety and corrections
On each of these points, she conveyed every Republican would get a fair budget for the next 68 years. And it
the kinds of views that make her an shake. would fund the Wyoming Department
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ideal choice for serving as the Sec- That is the kind of fundamental de- of Health for the next 26 years. These
retary of the Interior. cency we want in a nominee. are real numbers, and the Biden ban is
I was also interested in her thoughts And I will close with this: It sure having real consequences.
on a major piece of legislation for rural stands in sharp contrast to what we In Wyoming, we put the tax revenue
Eastern Oregon. It is the Malheur saw over the last 4 years, two Secre- from Federal land leases to use edu-
County Owyhee legislation, which taries, essentially, infamous rather cating our kids, caring for the sick,
seeks to resolve differences in this ex- than famous, who too often were will- and funding public infrastructure.
traordinary part of my State, the ing to set aside the science and support Maybe this sounds like my complaint
Owyhees—differences that have lit- the powerful and those who were going is just with President Biden. That is
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S1486 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 11, 2021
how Congresswoman HAALAND would Additionally, since 2000, the United ministrator for the Pueblo of San
have you see it. Congresswoman States has had the largest absolute de- Felipe.
HAALAND says that she will simply be cline in emissions of any country. We Thanks to all of that experience,
following the administration’s orders did this while at the same time rising Congresswoman HAALAND knows first-
and implementing its agenda at the In- to become the world’s top energy pro- hand how the decisions that we make
terior Department. This isn’t exactly ducer. The truth of the matter is, you here in Washington, and particularly in
encouraging for a number of reasons. can be both environmentally friendly the Interior Department, affect com-
The White House’s very first action and energy friendly. In Wyoming, we munities across the country, especially
in implementing their climate change are doing both. Under the Biden and in Tribal communities and rural West-
agenda is on track to cost my home Haaland administration, we will do nei- ern States.
State a whopping $13 billion in rev- ther. As Representative of the First Dis-
enue. I shudder to think what their I want to add one more thing. I rec- trict of New Mexico, my former dis-
next action will cost us, especially ognize the longstanding connection of trict, Congresswoman HAALAND has
with Department heads committed to Native Americans to the land. Rep- served as vice chair of the House Com-
blindly enacting the Biden agenda resentative HAALAND has that connec- mittee on Natural Resources and the
without consideration for the extraor- tion, and I honor her heritage and ap- chair of the Subcommittee on National
dinary impacts it will continue to have preciate how significant the nomina- Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, a po-
on energy States like Wyoming. tion of a Native American to lead the sition where she made us very proud.
Second, Secretaries have an incred- Department of the Interior is to the As a committee leader, she routinely
ible amount of power to make deci- Tribes and to indigenous people. But demonstrated her commitment to
sions on how an administration’s agen- there is no connection between her her- working across party lines.
da gets implemented. Based on her own Of all the Members of Congress newly
itage and her support of the Green New
public statements and actions, Con- elected in 2018, she introduced the most
Deal and attacking oil and natural gas
gresswoman HAALAND is more radical bills with bipartisan cosponsors. She
production as a means to address cli-
has always shown the ability to bring
in her positions than President Biden. mate change. If our goal is to reduce
None of these facts are particularly people together, something evidenced
emissions, then our focus should be on by her introduction in our committee
encouraging to folks in Wyoming and clean air, not attacking energy produc-
the West who will be devastated by the by Congressman DON YOUNG, Repub-
tion. lican of Alaska.
policies that Congresswoman HAALAND We can achieve our environmental She has an open door. She has an
plans to champion. What we need is a goals through things like carbon cap- open mind and will listen and consult
Secretary who understands the issues ture while remaining energy inde- with a diverse range of stakeholders to
that westerners face. We need someone pendent. try and build real consensus.
who knows the ways that States like For these reasons, I urge my col- I am confident that she is the leader
Wyoming are contributing to Amer- leagues to oppose Representative that we need at Interior to take on the
ica’s energy independence and doing so HAALAND’s nomination to serve as Sec- important work of restoring our land-
in increasingly environmentally friend- retary of the Interior. scapes, opening up new outdoor recre-
ly ways. Banning permitting on Fed- I yield the floor. ation opportunities for all Americans,
eral lands in Wyoming means banning The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- and putting our public lands to work in
access to 68 percent of Wyoming’s min- ator from New Mexico. confronting the climate crisis that too
erals. For our State and our country to Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, what many of our colleagues have long ig-
remain energy independent, we need is the status of the floor? nored.
someone at the Department of the In- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Americans want the Department of
terior who recognizes that if we shut ate is considering the Haaland nomina- the Interior to create more equitable
down producers at home, we are only tion. access to our public lands, to stand for
increasing the power of polluters like Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I rise environmental justice, to find real so-
Russia and China abroad. today in support of my colleague in the lutions for the climate crisis, to pro-
Conservatives are regularly attacked New Mexico congressional delegation, tect wildlife and clean water, and sup-
as anti-science and anti-environment. my Representative in the House of port rural economic development.
This couldn’t be further from the Representatives, and President Joe Many of us here in this body—in the
truth. I can tell you there are no great- Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Inte- Senate—demonstrated just last year,
er stewards of our land than the people rior, Congresswoman DEB HAALAND. when we passed the historic and bipar-
who actually work it, be it farmers, Congresswoman HAALAND is a mem- tisan Great American Outdoors Act,
ranchers, or energy producers. We care ber of the Pueblo of Laguna. She is that making conservation and outdoor
more about the land and natural re- what we like to call in New Mexico a recreation a key part of our national
sources than just about anyone. It is 35th-generation New Mexican. economic recovery is a goal that has
our livelihood. As many have noted, she will make the ability to unite us all, Republicans
But it is more than that. It is our history as the first-ever Native Amer- and Democrats.
way of life. We know that responsible ican Cabinet Secretary, something Implementation of that new law will
care for the land means that we have that, frankly, should have happened a allow us to put many Americans back
to have a healthy give-and-take with long, long time ago in this country. to work repairing our campgrounds, re-
the land. Deb also has lived experience—as a pairing our trail systems, building new
In Wyoming, we support both energy single mother, as a small business visitor centers, and Congresswoman
protection and conservation, fossil owner, as a Tribal administrator—ex- HAALAND is eager to lead that work.
fuels and clean energy technologies. periences that will serve her well and She is also uniquely qualified to help
Wyoming leads the Nation as the big- bring real representation to President us restore the Department of the Inte-
gest net energy supplier at the same Joe Biden’s Cabinet. rior’s nation-to-nation relationship
time that we are driving the future of She grew up in a military family. Her with Tribal nations and to help Indian
carbon capture and utilization tech- father was a decorated Marine combat Country recover and rebuild from
nology. veteran, and her mother is a Navy vet- COVID–19.
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Representative HAALAND and the eran. She grew up like a lot of kids The Interior Department will play a
Biden administration claim their ban with parents in the military, moving leading role in implementing President
on leases supports the environment, frequently, actually attending 13 dif- Biden’s American Rescue Plan in In-
but this ban actually hurts environ- ferent public schools over the course of dian Country. That historic rescue
mental conservation efforts. Energy her childhood. package, which the Senate just passed
development on public lands helps to Before being elected to Congress, she over the weekend—and I would point
fund conservation, including the Land owned her own business, she was the out did not have a single Republican
and Water Conservation Fund to the chair of the board of a tribally owned vote—includes more than $31 billion in
tune of billions of dollars. business, and also served as Tribal ad- emergency support for Indian Country.
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March 11, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1487
Let me put that in perspective. That the clean energy future that the mar- islation is also extreme, and I will tell
represents the single greatest invest- ket has already told us is coming—is you why.
ment in Indian Country in American here—and we need to be honest with The legislation that she proposed as
history—in American history. them. a Member of the House completely dis-
This emergency support is des- I am absolutely certain that Con- regards the scientific conclusions of
perately needed in Tribal communities. gresswoman HAALAND will be a true the Bush administration, the Obama
Over the past year, American Indians partner to Western States like New administration, and the Trump admin-
and Alaska Natives infected by COVID– Mexico, Alaska, Colorado, Montana, istration. How many things can we
19 have been hospitalized at a rate four and Wyoming as we navigate this chal- name that all three of those Presidents
times higher than White Americans lenging transition. agreed upon? But the three of them
and have died from the disease at near- As we confront the climate crisis did. They all concluded—the Obama ad-
ly twice the rate. That is not just some that is already an existential threat to ministration, the Bush administration,
statistic. I know firsthand because of our land and water resources and the and the Trump administration con-
the people I know and have lost in In- communities that depend on those re- cluded that it was time to take the
dian Country. sources in the West, we must diversify grizzly bear off the endangered species
On top of these unacceptable public our economy. We must invest in those list.
health outcomes, Tribal communities communities and remain a global lead- Both Democratic and Republican In-
have also been disproportionately im- er in producing and exporting energy. terior Departments determined that
pacted by the educational and eco- Despite the objections that have been the grizzly bear was fully recovered,
nomic devastation of this past year— raised against her nomination and the but Representative HAALAND has cho-
the lack of broadband, for example. holds that have unfairly held up her sen instead to ignore the science and
These disparities reflect the per- confirmation, I am confident in Con- the scientists of the very Department
sistent inequities that are the direct gresswoman HAALAND’s commitment to that she is now nominated to lead.
result of decades of chronic under- work with every single one of us on Representative HAALAND’s policy views
investment by Congress in Indian these pressing challenges, and I am are squarely at odds with the mission
Country. That is why the American eager for the Senate to finally take up of the Department of the Interior. That
Rescue Plan includes $20 billion in Congresswoman HAALAND’s confirma- mission includes taking species off of
emergency funds for Tribal govern- tion so that she can get to work pro- an endangered species list when they
ments that have taken on enormous, tecting our natural heritage for future are recovered, and the grizzly bear is
unprecedented costs to protect the generations. fully recovered.
health and safety of their members. It I yield the floor. That Department also manages our
also includes billions of dollars of in- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Nation’s oil, gas, and coal resources
vestment in Indian Country to expand ator from Wyoming. and does it in a responsible manner,
access to healthcare, education, trans- Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, not eliminating access to them com-
portation, housing, and even essentials today the Senate is debating the nomi- pletely.
that many of us just take for granted, nation of DEB HAALAND, a Member of Just as troubling as her policy views
things like broadband, like internet, Congress, to serve as Secretary of the were her answers to questions during
like electricity or water. Interior. If confirmed, she will be the the confirmation process. She strug-
The Senate urgently needs to take up first Native American Cabinet member gled or refused to answer the basic
Congresswoman HAALAND’s nomination in U.S. history. This is a historic mo- questions any nominee for the Depart-
to lead the Department of the Interior ment, and it should be recognized. ment of the Interior would be expected
so that Tribes will finally have the I want to be very clear with you. to know and answer. She was unwilling
partner they need in effectively imple- Representative HAALAND’s policy views or unable to respond to questions about
menting the American Rescue Plan and and lack of substantive answers during the Department, about resource policy,
to help them steer their communities her nomination hearing, in my opinion, and about the laws that she was asked
out of this perilous moment. disqualify her for this job. to implement.
Finally, it is unfortunate, frankly, In May of 2019, Representative I asked her why the Biden adminis-
that this needs to be said, but I do need HAALAND said unequivocally in an tration wouldn’t just let energy work-
to take a moment to address character- interview with The Guardian: ‘‘I am ers keep their jobs. She had no good
izations of Congresswoman HAALAND wholeheartedly against fracking and answer.
that were raised by some of my col- drilling on public lands.’’ On her cam- American jobs are being sacrificed in
leagues in the Energy and Natural Re- paign website, she stated she wanted to the name of the Biden agenda, and Rep-
sources Committee that were neither ‘‘keep fossil fuels in the ground.’’ On resentative HAALAND wouldn’t defend
accurate nor, frankly, appropriate to the same site, she pledged to ‘‘vote it—couldn’t defend it. Senator RISCH
the kind of debate that we have in that against all new fossil fuel infrastruc- had to ask her multiple times if she
committee. ture,’’ period. supported shutting down the Keystone
I was disappointed by the tenor of I, along with many western Senators, Pipeline before she admitted that she
the debate in our committee, as some have consistently opposed nominees did. He then asked her multiple times
of my colleagues described Congress- who hold such views, and in my opinion why she thought that was a good idea,
woman HAALAND as ‘‘radical’’ or as and the opinion of my constituents, and she never really gave an answer.
‘‘extreme’’ for holding policy views these views are extreme. Her written answers to the questions
that fall well within the mainstream Representative HAALAND’s views for the record were equally vague and
and fairly represent many of her con- aren’t just statements; they are backed unacceptable. In one response to a
stituents—I would say the vast major- up by legislation that she has cospon- question of mine, she refused to ac-
ity of her constituents. sored. As a Member of Congress, she knowledge that the United States has
As a westerner, Congresswoman was a day-one cosponsor of the Green higher environmental standards for oil
HAALAND well understands that con- New Deal. Now we are talking about and for gas production than Russia or
fronting the climate crisis, not denying destructive legislation that would not Nigeria—would not acknowledge that.
it, and transforming our economy will just overhaul American energy but The American people deserve
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not come without costs. We need to be would impact almost every sector of straight answers from a potential Sec-
honest about that. That is especially society and cause great harm to Amer- retary about the law, about the rules,
true for fossil fuel workers, including ica’s economy. That bill was so ex- and about the regulations that are
many of our fellow New Mexicans, who treme that when it was brought here to going to affect so many lives and liveli-
have long powered our economy and de- the Senate floor, it received no sup- hoods. She gave very few of those at
serve our respect and support. But we port. None. her nominating hearing and in her
need to be thorough on the details and She also cosponsored legislation to written responses.
thoughtful in preparing our traditional provide permanent Federal protections Representative HAALAND’s extreme
energy communities for a transition to for the grizzly bear. I believe that leg- views, cosponsorship of catastrophic
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S1488 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 11, 2021
legislation, and lack of responsiveness has been in Congress long enough to be Mr. THUNE. The following Senators
disqualify her from this important po- able to read people and know their are necessarily absent: the Senator
sition as Secretary of the Interior. If heart and soul. He took the time and from North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the
she is allowed to implement her Green trouble to appear before the committee Senator from Louisiana (Mr. CASSIDY),
New Deal-inspired policies at the De- and testified to the productive working the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. KEN-
partment of the Interior, the results relationship he has had with Congress- NEDY), and the Senator from Kansas
for America’s energy supply and econ- woman HAALAND and her willingness to (Mr. MORAN).
omy will be catastrophic. work with him on important issues. The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 54,
So I cannot support and will not sup- That meant a lot to me, and I hope it nays 42, as follows:
port her nomination, and I urge other will also resonate with my colleagues. [Rollcall Vote No. 118 Ex.]
Senators also to vote against the nomi- President Biden is in perhaps the YEAS—54
nation. most difficult position a modern-day Baldwin Heinrich Peters
I yield the floor. President has ever been in, bringing us Bennet Hickenlooper Reed
I suggest the absence of a quorum. back from the brink after January 6. Blumenthal Hirono Rosen
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Booker Kaine Sanders
That day changed me, and I feel Brown Kelly Schatz
clerk will call the roll. strongly that with the deep divisions Cantwell King Schumer
The legislative clerk proceeded to running through our country and the Cardin Klobuchar Shaheen
call the roll. Halls of Congress today, we have to Carper Leahy Sinema
Casey Luján Smith
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I ask have people who have demonstrated Collins Manchin Stabenow
unanimous consent that the order for they have the temperament and will- Coons Markey Sullivan
the quorum call be rescinded. ingness to reach across the aisle. Con- Cortez Masto Menendez Tester
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Duckworth Merkley Van Hollen
gresswoman HAALAND has dem- Durbin Murkowski Warner
objection, it is so ordered. onstrated she does and she will. Feinstein Murphy Warnock
Mr. MANCHIN. Madam President, I As the President works to bind to- Gillibrand Murray Warren
ask unanimous consent to speak for 3 gether a nation split by deep political, Graham Ossoff Whitehouse
minutes. Hassan Padilla Wyden
racial, social, and economic divisions,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without he is also trying to assemble a Cabinet NAYS—42
objection, it is so ordered. that reflects the rich diversity of our Barrasso Grassley Risch
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I am Nation, one that looks like America. Blackburn Hagerty Romney
pleased to speak today on the nomina- Blunt Hawley Rounds
And 230 years after Washington called Boozman Hoeven Rubio
tion of Representative DEBRA HAALAND his first Cabinet meeting, it is long Braun Hyde-Smith Sasse
to be the Secretary of the Interior. Her past time to give a Native American Capito Inhofe Scott (FL)
nomination was carefully considered woman a seat at the Cabinet table. Cornyn Johnson Scott (SC)
Cotton Lankford Shelby
by the Committee on Energy and Nat- For these reasons, I support DEB Cramer Lee Thune
ural Resources, which I am privileged HAALAND’s nomination and will vote to Crapo Lummis Tillis
to chair. report her and to support her, and I Cruz Marshall Toomey
Her hearing went well, and it went Daines McConnell Tuberville
look forward to working with her to Ernst Paul Wicker
for 2 days. Every member of the com- protect our public lands and ensure the Fischer Portman Young
mittee questioned her. Most asked her responsible use of our natural re- NOT VOTING—4
two rounds of questions, and some sources in the most bipartisan manner.
asked three. We then asked her 70 Burr Kennedy
I strongly support her nomination. I Cassidy Moran
pages of questions for the record—near- urge all of my colleagues to vote to in-
ly 300 questions, many with multiple voke cloture today and to confirm her The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. VAN
subparts. nomination next week. HOLLEN). On this vote, the yeas are 54,
The committee questioned her close- the nays are 42.
CLOTURE MOTION
ly on her beliefs, her opinions, the The motion is agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant The Senator from Oklahoma is recog-
President’s policies, and what she will to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the
do if confirmed. In the end, the com- nized.
Senate the pending cloture motion,
mittee voted to report her nomination which the clerk will state.
CORONAVIRUS
favorably, 11 to 9. I am proud to have The legislative clerk read as follows: Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, we
voted to report her nomination, and I are a year into the COVID epidemic—a
CLOTURE MOTION
am proud to speak in favor of her con- year. If you think about it, this week a
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
firmation today. year ago, in Oklahoma City there was
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
While I may not personally agree Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby a basketball game going on between
with some of Congresswoman move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City
HAALAND’s past statements and policy nation of Executive Calendar No. 31, Debra Thunder. They were 2 minutes away
positions, as Secretary she will be car- Anne Haaland, of New Mexico, to be Sec- from tip-off, and the announcer came
rying out President Biden’s agenda, the retary of the Interior. on the speaker and said: Ladies and
agenda that the voters elected Presi- Charles E. Schumer, Chris Van Hollen, gentlemen, there has been a case of
dent Biden to pursue. Michael F. Bennet, Jack Reed, Tammy COVID–19 that has been discovered by
Duckworth, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff
At her hearing, she confirmed that one of the players. This game is post-
Merkley, Christopher A. Coons, Rich-
she and the administration recognize ard Blumenthal, Patrick J. Leahy, poned.
that our country will remain depend- Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Brian And with that one announcement, a
ent on fossil fuels for years to come, Schatz, Robert Menendez, Richard J. year ago this week, all professional
and a transition to a cleaner energy fu- Durbin, Martin Heinrich, Maria Cant- sports stopped across the entire coun-
ture must come through innovation, well. try, and the country, for a moment,
not elimination. The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- woke up and realized: This is more seri-
She also affirmed her strong commit- imous consent, the mandatory quorum ous than we thought. And everything
ment to bipartisanship. She under- call has been waived. shifted. Within a week, the United
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stands the need to work across the The question is, Is it the sense of the States had shut down for 8 weeks, and
aisle to find the bipartisan solutions Senate that debate on the nomination we went into lockdown.
needed to address the diverse needs of of DEBRA ANNE HAALAND, of New Mex- At the beginning point of that, this
our country and has demonstrated that ico, to be Secretary of the Interior, Congress came together in a bipartisan
she can do so effectively. shall be brought to a close? way and passed something called the
I was also deeply impressed by the The yeas and nays are mandatory CARES Act, $1.6 trillion, an enormous
strong endorsement she received by under the rule. relief bill, because we were walking
Congressman DON YOUNG, for whom I The clerk will call the roll. into uncharted territory. We created
have the utmost respect. DON YOUNG The legislative clerk called the roll. things like the Paycheck Protection
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