U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced he will oppose the nomination of President Biden’s Interior Secretary Nominee Deb Haaland, and will work to block and defeat it. The announcement follows a two-day U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing where Haaland’s ideological agenda that threatens the Montana way of life took center stage.
“This week’s hearing confirmed what I feared from Rep. Haaland’s record and our one-on-one conversation—she’s a hardline ideologue with radical views out of touch with Montana and the West. Rep. Haaland opposes the Keystone XL pipeline and has called for a ban on fracking, the elimination of fossil fuels and no new pipelines. She refuses to commit to maintaining hunting, grazing, timber harvest and trapping on public lands. Her record shows she will ignore science on wildlife management and natural resource development and instead be tied to her far-Left ideology. It’s no surprise she’s ranked as one of the top ten most liberal members of the U.S. House of Representatives,” Daines said. “The Secretary of the Interior should be a consensus-builder, with a pragmatic and well-balanced track record. I’m concerned Rep. Halaand will be unable to separate from her progressive agenda and support what’s best for Montana and the West. I’m not convinced she’s committed to bringing diverse stakeholders together. Her hostile record towards energy, natural resources and sportsmen issues are very concerning. I will oppose her nomination, work to defeat it and urge my colleagues to do the same.”
Montana leaders from across the state have sent statements in opposition to Rep. Haaland’s nomination. Click HERE to read more.
Haaland hearing recap:
Daines questioned Haaland on her views on wildlife management and about her own legislation providing federal protections of the grizzly bear in perpetuity. Haaland refused to commit to science, delist the grizzly bear and return management back to the state. Returning management of the grizzly bear back to the states is critical for public safety, wildlife habitat and communities in Montana.
Haaland dodged important questions about her record towards energy including her opposition to fracking, pledge to keep fossil fuels in the ground, her opposition to fossil fuel infrastructure, call to ban pipelines and opposition to projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline.
Daines raised concerns with Haaland’s evasive responses that she will blindly follow President Biden and his anti-American energy agenda which has already abandoned Montana workers, killed Montana jobs, and eliminated millions in revenue for Montana counties. Daines questioned whether she would advise the president or simply follow him.
Daines raised concerns and pressed Haaland on her stance on several land management and sportsmen issues, and opposition to trapping on public lands, in the context of her long record of opposing multiple use on public lands—the statutory mandate of the Department of the Interior.
Daines raised concerns with her push to make it harder to mine in the U.S., forcing the U.S. to rely on countries with terrible human rights and environmental standards to source renewable energy materials.
To watch Round One of the Hearing Exchange on Endangered Species Act, grizzly management and energy questions, click HERE.
To Watch Round Two of the Hearing Exchange on critical minerals and renewable energy, hunting and sportsmen opportunities, click HERE.
To Watch Round Three of the Hearing Exchange on Haaland’s 30 X 30 Initiative and balancing multiple-uses, click HERE.
Haaland is ranked one of the top ten most liberal members of the U.S. House of Representatives.