U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis is part of an effort to delay the confirmation of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland as the new secretary of the Interior Department until her nomination can be debated in the Senate.
Lummis and U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, put a “hold” on Haaland’s nomination, essentially blocking her confirmation until senators can debate the nomination.
Lummis said the “hold” is part of her effort to battle the policies of President Joe Biden that have halted oil and gas leasing on federal land.
“According to a University of Wyoming analysis, the Biden ban could cost my state nearly $13 billion in tax revenue, which would devastate Wyoming’s investments in education, healthcare and infrastructure,” Lummis said in a statement. “Congresswoman Deb Haaland will be a champion of this and even more radical policies, and I am committed to doing anything I can to fight the Biden and Haaland job-killing agenda.
“For Wyoming’s energy workers and producers who will bear the loss of jobs, and for our medical professionals and children who will bear the loss of revenue, I’m putting a hold on Deb Haaland’s nomination to serve as Secretary of the Interior,” she added.
Lummis and U.S. Sen. John Barrasso have both been critical of Haaland’s nomination, saying she will support Biden’s goal of ending energy production on federal land as a way to contribute to the end of global climate change.
