Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), President Joes Bidens pick to lead the Interior Department, kicked off her confirmation hearing Tuesday by acknowledging the historic nature of the moment, as she stands to become the nations first-ever Indigenous Cabinet member. But she also tried to head off opposition from Republicans who have painted her as an extreme, radical threat to fossil fuel production and the American way of life.

I hope this nomination would be an inspiration for Americans moving forward together as one nation and creating opportunities for all of us, she told lawmakers.

Haaland, 60, vowed to be a fierce advocate for public lands and consult all stakeholders to strike the right balance between natural resource development and conservation. She also said shed work my heart out for everyone, including fossil fuel workers, ranchers, communities suffering from legacy pollution and people of color whose stories deserve to be heard.

Theres no question that fossil energy does and will continue to play a major role in America for years to come, Haaland said. I know how important oil and gas revenues are to critical services. But we must also recognize that the energy industry is innovating, and our climate challenge must be addressed.