Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
NEW YORK — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland traveled to New York this week to meet with Tribal leaders and community members, highlighting the Interior Department’s progress in strengthening Indian Country. Her visit underscored the investments made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to empower Tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and prosperity.
Secretary Haaland met with Tribal leaders from the Cayuga Nation, Oneida Indian Nation, Seneca Nation of Indians, Shinnecock Nation, Tonawanda Band of Seneca, and Tuscarora Nation. Throughout her visits, she emphasized the Department’s commitment to strengthening Indian Country. The President’s Investing in America agenda is deploying record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitation systems, clean drinking water, reliable electricity, good-paying jobs, and economic development in every Tribal community. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone invests more than $13 billion directly into Tribal communities across the country.
On June 28th, 1969 a violent confrontation between police and gay rights activists outside the Stonewall Inn began a movement for equal rights for queer people in the United States and globally. In commemoration of Pride Month today Secretary Haaland joined President Biden First Lady Jill Biden National Park Service staff and community leaders at Stonewall National Monument to celebrate its new visitor center's opening. Designated by President Barack Obama on June 24th 2016 Stonewall National Monument is the first national park site dedicated to LGBTQI+ rights and history. The new visitor center operated in partnership with Pride Live will serve as an educational resource center featuring various programs that share LGBTQI+ history and culture including the ongoing struggle for equality.
Under Secretary Haaland’s leadership significant steps have been taken to advance diversity equity inclusion and accessibility (DEIA). In February the Department released its comprehensive Equity Action Plan an important step towards meeting President Biden’s Executive Order 14091 which charges federal agencies with addressing systemic barriers impeding equal opportunity for underserved communities proactively. Secretary Haaland also established the first-ever DEIA Council to incorporate these practices into work across its many bureaus.
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