{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/ak-delegation-congratulates-tara-sweeney-on_nomination-for-key-role-in-administration-", "AK Delegation Congratulates Tara Sweeney on  Nomination for Key Role in Administration", "2017-10-17", "2017", "2017-10", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "10.17.17\n\t\t\t AK Delegation Congratulates Tara Sweeney on  Nomination for Key Role in Administration  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Alaskan Chosen to be Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Tara Sweeney to be Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs within the U.S. Department of the Interior.\r\n\u201cI extend my congratulations and full support to Tara on her nomination to serve as Assistant Secretary,\u201d said Murkowski. \u201cTara has a very strong record of professionalism and accomplishment in Alaska, across the country, and internationally, especially with the indigenous people of the circumpolar north. She has significant experience on Arctic issues and chaired the Arctic Economic Council. She is an expert on energy, infrastructure, broadband, economic development, Native self-determination, and a wide range of policy issues that will come before her. Secretary Zinke could not have chosen a better leader to help him fulfill the federal government\u2019s trust responsibility, and I know Tara has the heart and drive to excel in this position.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis is a historic appointment for Alaskans and for the country,\u201d said Sullivan. \u201cI\u2019ve worked with Tara Sweeney for years and I have witnessed first-hand her integrity, her strong leadership skills and her devotion to public service. Tara has a deep love for our state and people, and is relentless in her commitment to securing a better future for Alaska and the nation. With her long history of advocating for Alaska Native cultural values, rights, and economic opportunity, I can\u2019t think of anyone better to have as our nation\u2019s next Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis is an absolutely outstanding choice,\u201d\u00a0said Young.\u00a0\u201cTara\u2019s knowledge, experience and leadership will go a long way in straightening out the BIA, allowing it to run more efficiently for the good of all First Americans. She has extensive experience not only in business, but also within Alaska Native groups and organizations. Tara knows first-hand the fight for Native empowerment and self-determination because she\u2019s been on the front lines for years.\u00a0 There\u2019s long been a problem with Native issues not receiving the priority they deserve\u00a0but with Tara Sweeney at the helm, I have no doubt the Department of Interior will be paying close attention and the voices of our Native communities will be heard. Tara follows in great Alaskan footsteps, those of my dear friend Morris Thompson, and will do a fantastic job working on behalf of American Indians and Alaska Natives across the country.\u201d\r\nTara Sweeney is I\u00f1upiaq and a lifelong Alaskan from Ukpia?vik (Barrow). She currently serves as the executive vice president of external affairs for the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC), the largest Alaska-owned and operated business. Tara has served on the Alaska Federation of Natives Board since 2007, previously serving as board co-chairman. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in science from Cornell University.\r\nThe Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs is one of five assistant secretaries at the Department of the Interior, reporting to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary. The Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs supports the Secretary of the Interior in fulfilling the United States\u2019 trust responsibility to the Federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages and individual Indian trust beneficiaries, as well as in upholding the Federal-Tribal government-to-government relationship.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t Related Issues:\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t         \n\t\t\t\t\t     \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAlaska Natives & Rural Alaska\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t  \n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/ak-delegation-congratulates-tara-sweeney-on_nomination-for-key-role-in-administration-"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7619200516492128, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}