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Senate Committee Advances Haaland For Interior Secretary, Daines Votes Against

Montana Sen. Steve Daines followed through on his promise to vote against Rep. Deb Haaland’s nomination as Secretary of the Interior today but the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced her nomination despite GOP opposition.

In an 11 to 9 vote, the committee voted to favorably report Congresswoman Haaland’s nomination as Secretary of the Interior.

Republican Senator of Alaska Lisa Murkowski, considered by many to be a key committee vote, said she “struggled” to decide how to vote but voted to support Rep. Haaland as the first Native American to hold the position overseeing many federal programs that directly impact Native Americans.

Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who’s said he will oppose and even block Haaland’s nomination due to her “radical views,” did not speak during the meeting. Daines, along with every other Republican on the committee besides Murkowski, voted against recommending Haaland.

The next step in the process will be a vote on Haaland’s confirmation by the full U.S Senate, where Montana’s Democratic Sen. Jon Tester has said he will vote to confirm. The vote has not yet been scheduled.

Kaitlyn Nicholas covers tribal news in Montana.