Haaland Confirmation Great for Veterans

Washington, D.C. — Today the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Debra Haaland as Secretary of the Department of the Interior. In reaction to the announcement, Vet Voice Foundation’s Mary Kaszynski released the following statement:

“Secretary Deb Haaland is an excellent and historic choice to lead our Department of the Interior. As the daughter of a U.S. Marine, veterans and military families have known since her first day in the House that we have in Secretary Haaland an ally and champion. She has always extended to us an open door for our activists to listen, share, and find a way to work collaboratively to ensure our voices are part of the debate to safeguard our public lands and climate. 

“How refreshing to have an Interior Secretary who sees our public lands as natural treasures for all rather than personal profit opportunities for a few. 

“We’ve been thrilled to see the bold action already coming from the White House — pausing new oil and gas leases on public lands and laying out the bold 30×30 vision which seeks to conserve 30% of our nation’s lands and waterways by 2030. 

“We look forward to continuing to work with President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Haaland, and veterans from across the country to undo the wreckage of the Trump Administration and to build back better our Interior Department, our public lands, and the bureaus and agencies that oversee them — making them stronger and more safeguarded than ever before.

“There’s so much to do. But just as we’ve always been able to count on her, Secretary Haaland can count on us.“