Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement on his decision to vote to confirm Representative Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Department of the Interior. 

“Given the political divisions currently facing our country, I believe that every Presidential nominee and every Member of Congress must be committed to a new era of bipartisanship. That is the standard the overwhelming majority of Americans expect and deserve.

With respect to Representative Haaland and her confirmation hearing, while we do not agree on every issue, she reaffirmed her strong commitment to bipartisanship, addressing the diverse needs of our country and maintaining our nation’s energy independence. Her colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including Republican Congressman Don Young from the energy rich state of Alaska, spoke to their productive working relationship, her bipartisan accomplishments and sincere willingness to work collaboratively on important issues. In addition, she reiterated the position of the Biden Administration that our country will continue to use fossil fuels for years to come, even as we transition to a cleaner energy future, through innovation not elimination. Further, she made clear her commitment to working to extend the critical Abandoned Mine Land fees set to expire this year that impact countless states.

For all these reasons, I believe Deb Haaland will be a Secretary of the Interior for every American and will vote to confirm her. I look forward to working with her to protect our public lands and ensure the responsible use of all our natural resources in a bipartisan manner.”  

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