Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) made history in 2018 as one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress, along with Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas). Now, dozens of tribal leaders are urging President-elect Joe Biden to make history again by picking Haaland to be his secretary of the interior.

More than 120 elected tribal leaders and intertribal organization officials plan to send a letter to Biden this week saying it is long past time for an Indigenous person to serve in a Cabinet position particularly at the Interior Department, which has a unique impact on Indigenous and environmental issues.

Weve never had a Native American serve in any Cabinet position, Bryan Newland, tribal chairman of the Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan and a lead organizer on the letter, said Tuesday. Rep. Haaland is more than qualified and capable of serving as secretary of interior and would be a great choice.

Last month two other tribal leaders published a commentary describing the glass ceiling in our Federal government when it comes to Native Americans getting picked for Cabinet positions. They named Haaland as an ideal choice to oversee the Interior Department.

Rep. Haaland is the type of candidate who would have a deep understanding of all of the responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior from day one, wrote Shannon Holsey, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe, and Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe. They noted she is a citizen of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico and chairs a House Natural Resources subcommittee with oversight authority for the Interior Department.

Haalands name has been floating around for weeks as a possible pick for the position. New Mexicos two Democratic senators, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, have also been circulating the idea .

Asked if she is interested in the position, Haaland told HuffPost on Sunday that she is honored and privileged to represent her district in Congress. After it was pointed out that is precisely what politicians say when theyre interested in a promotion but want to seem humble, she conceded that she would enthusiastically take the Interior Department job if it were offered to her.

Oh yes, of course, said Haaland. Of course.