Rep. Deb Haaland’s confirmation hearing for Interior Secretary isn’t a hearing at all — it’s, as Sen. Cantwell put it, “a proxy fight about the future of fossil fuels.” Well, we cannot have a future based on the boom-and-bust cycle of oil and gas development. Fossil fuel executives have cut 20% of their workforce since 2014 and plunged local governments into debt as the market declines, while saddling states with millions, if not billions, in clean-up costs for abandoned wells.
While Haaland spoke about her experience working across the aisle to protect our public lands and her commitment to Biden’s ambitious nature conservation agenda Tuesday — including support of protecting 30% of our lands, waters, and ocean in this country, polluter money-funded Republican senators lied about prospects for fossil fuel jobs.
Secretary-designate Haaland’s leadership, experience and stellar record, including her 98% lifetime score on the National Environmental Scorecard, are indisputable and she must be confirmed. During today’s unprecedented second round of questioning, it’s important to acknowledge the facts.
Sen. Steve Daines – Has taken over $1.1 million in oil and gas contributions. On Tuesday, Sen. Daines questioned what jobs oil and gas workers who have supposedly lost jobs due to President Biden’s pause on new oil and gas leasing on public land could turn to.
Sen. John Barrasso – Has taken over $1.1 million in oil and gas contributions. On Tuesday, Sen. Barrasso said that President Biden’s oil and gas leasing pause would cost New Mexico thousands of jobs.
Sen. Bill Cassidy – Has taken over $1.6 million in oil and gas contributions. On Tuesday, Sen. Cassidy asked if Haaland’s Interior Department would be guided by, “prejudice against fossil fuels or guided by science.”