Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Then-U.S. Democratic Congressional candidate Deb Haaland. Photo credit: Brian Snyder/Reuters/Newscom
Then-U.S. Democratic congressional candidate Deb Haaland thanking volunteers on Election Day in November 2018. Haaland is awaiting confirmation as President Biden s pick for Interior secretary. Brian Snyder/Reuters/Newscom
When it comes to political comebacks, few can top Democratic Rep. Deb Haaland.
Running as a rookie candidate for lieutenant governor in her home state of New Mexico in 2014, Haaland lost in a landslide. She recovered quickly, leading the New Mexico Democratic Party for two years and then coming out on top of a six-way primary in 2018 to eventually become one of the first two Native American women ever elected to Congress.
The Navajo Nation Council has approved the 4.9-million-dollar purchase of a building in Washington, D.C. to serve as the Tribe’s office on the East Coast.
Deseret News
Sens. Romney, Sinema also introduce legislation to expand access to drinking water on tribal nations
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People get tested for COVID-19 outside of the Montezuma Creek Community Health Center in Montezuma Creek, San Juan County, on May 1, 2020. Washington D.C. extended two olive branches to the Navajo Nation Tuesday, with President Joe Biden signing a major disaster declaration to help with the reservation’s COVID-19 response and Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., introducing legislation aimed at expanding access to drinking water on tribal nations around the country.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY Washington D.C. extended two olive branches to the Navajo Nation Tuesday, with President Joe Biden signing a major disaster declaration to help with the reservation’s COVID-19 response and Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., introducing legislation aimed at expanding access to drinking water on trib
SALT LAKE CITY Washington, D.C., extended two olive branches to the Navajo Nation Tuesday, with President Joe Biden signing a major disaster declaration to help with the reservation s COVID-19 response and Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., introducing legislation aimed at expanding access to drinking water on tribal nations around the country.
The disaster declaration will free up federal resources and reimburse emergency funds used to fight COVID-19, a move that Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez called a great step forward toward curbing a virus that has claimed 1,032 lives on the reservation as of Tuesday.
The declaration will support the Navajo Nation s vaccine distribution, medical staffing and requests for resources and equipment.
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According to Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez’s office, Hale died Tuesday from complications of COVID-19. Officials learned of his condition last Friday.
Hale was elected president in 1994 and was a fierce proponent of tribal sovereignty. But he was alleged to have misspent tribal funds and faced possible criminal charges. He avoided prosecution by resigning in 1998.
Hale was appointed by former Gov. Janet Napolitano to finish a term in the Arizona State Senate to which he was later elected, along with a seat in the State House until 2017.
Hale served as chair of the Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission, which negotiated a major San Juan River settlement for the tribe. He had also served as the Navajo assistant attorney general.