WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, praised the Senate’s confirmation of U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke as Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). “Ryan Zinke has a proven positive track record of working with Indian tribes,” said Hoeven. “As the sole congressman for Montana, he championed tribal interests on important issues, including water rights, economic and natural resource development, as well as safety and services for Indian children and women. “He has demonstrated his commitment to upholding tribal sovereignty and understands the unique government-to-government relationship that the United States shares with tribes. I look forward to working with Secretary Zinke and tribal leaders to advance initiatives to improve the quality of life in Indian communities.” The Secretary of the Interior oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, and the National Indian Gaming Commission. ###