Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) delivers her final speech to the U.S. House of Representatives on March 16, 2021.
"I’m humbled to have spent the last two years in this chamber, where I proudly served New Mexico, alongside my colleagues past & present in the New Mexico delegation," said Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna.
"I love New Mexico. Not only is it my home where I raised my child, went to college, started a small business & started organizing--it’s my ancestral homeland."
"As a 35th generation New Mexican, & not unlike the other families with roots in our state, I have a deep connection to the land, air, & water that sustains our communities, My ancestors settled there because they were drawn to the once mighty Rio Grande & the sacred places that dot the sandstone mesas & granite mountains."
"That’s why I made the most of my time in Congress. I spent every opportunity meeting with families, listening to small business owners, learning about our tech industry, connecting with brave service members & veterans & working to deliver for the people."
"When I was a little girl, none of this crossed my mind as a possibility for me. I wasn’t one of the students picked out to apply for college. In fact, I didn’t apply for college until I was 28. I was constantly struggling to make ends meet & raised my child as a single mom."
"Growing up, Native women rarely held federal leadership positions & now, little girls everywhere will know that they can run for Congress & win & that this country holds promise for everyone."
"I believe that it’s the fact that I relied on food stamps to feed my family that makes me qualified to advocate for families like mine, it’s the fact that I overcame addiction that makes me qualified to help people who are in their own struggles & it’s the fact that I know what it’s like to be Indigenous that makes me qualified to advocate for our country to meet its trust responsibility."
"The beauty of this chamber is that each member of Congress brings their unique experiences to the table & advocates for the causes we know best."
"With Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s brilliant leadership, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva’s wisdom & House Armed Services Committee Chair Adam Smith’s guidance & all the leadership here in the House, I had the opportunity make a real difference for communities everywhere by addressing climate change, protecting voting rights, fighting for racial, environmental & economic justice & providing urgent COVID relief for millions of people."
"I’m also thankful for the collaboration and mentorship of my colleagues across the aisle including Reps. Tom Cole & the Dean of the House, Don Young & my colleagues on the House Armed Services and Natural Resources Committees."
"We worked in a bipartisan way to address issues including the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women crisis & ensuring that our servicemen and women & military families have the resources they need."
"To my colleagues in the Tri-Caucus, thank you for embracing the issues facing Native Americans & working to address long standing disparities in our communities."
"I’m proud that with the support of my colleagues, several of my bills became law:
The Not Invisible Act;
Rent the Camo, a pilot program for pregnant service members in the 2021 NDAA;
The PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act;
Provisions from my Military Housing Oversight & Service Member Protection Act in the 2020 NDAA;
The Native American Business Incubators Act; &
The Veterans Affairs Tribal Advisory Committee Act."
"I thought I would have more time here, but we are called to service in different ways."
"Though I am excited to become the first Native American cabinet secretary in history, I’m also sad to leave this chamber. As a twice elected member of Congress, it has been the pleasure & privilege to serve alongside you in our quest to improve the lives of the American people."
Cover Photo: https://flic.kr/p/2heURWM
