BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong released the following statement today after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm former Gov. Doug Burgum as Secretary of the Interior, making him the second North Dakotan to hold the position. Armstrong reached out to Burgum to congratulate him on his confirmation.
“The strong support Governor Burgum received throughout the confirmation process speaks volumes about his unique qualifications to serve as Secretary of the Interior,” Armstrong said. “His background in energy, tribal relations, national parks and other public lands makes him the right person at the right time to lead the Department of the Interior, which touches every aspect of our lives in North Dakota. Doug understands that safe, responsible development of our nation’s abundant natural resources is key to curbing inflation, growing the economy and paying down our national debt for future generations. He will be an incredible asset to the Trump administration and, as chair of the National Energy Council, will help usher in a new era of U.S. energy dominance that benefits all Americans with reliable, affordable power.”
As Interior Secretary, Burgum will lead the U.S. Department of the Interior, a Cabinet-level agency that manages the nation’s natural and cultural resources. The department employs approximately 70,000 employees in 11 technical bureaus: the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement, and the federal bureaus of Indian Affairs, Indian Education, Land Management, Ocean Energy Management, Reclamation, Safety & Environmental Enforcement, and Trust Funds Administration. The department provides access to more than 500 million acres of public lands, 700 million acres of subsurface minerals, and 1.7 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf.
Trump also has appointed Burgum to chair the newly created National Energy Council. As chairman, Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council.
Burgum is the first native North Dakotan to lead a U.S. Cabinet agency since former Gov. Ed Schafer led the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2008-2009 and the second North Dakotan to serve as Interior Secretary. Kintyre, N.D., native Tom Kleppe served as Interior Secretary in 1975.