Michael L. Connor: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|American lawyer (born& 1963)politician}}

|image = MikeSpeakingMichaelLConnor.jpg

|predecessor = Jaime AR.D. Pinkham (acting)James

| spouse = Shari Hanson

| children = 2

|education education = [[New Mexico State University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br />[[University of Colorado, Boulder]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])

'''Michael L.Lee Connor''' is an American politician, lawyer and engineer. AmongHe otherhas positionsserved inas the [[Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)|United States DepartmentAssistant Secretary of the InteriorArmy for Civil Works]] since November 2021, heand wasserved theas formerthe [[United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior]] from 2014 to 2017, andamong isother thepositions nominee forin [[Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)|United States Assistant SecretaryDepartment of the Army for Civil WorksInterior]].

Born in [[Las Cruces, New Mexico]],<ref name="engr.nmsu.edu">{{cite web |url=https://engr.nmsu.edu/news_09_03_24_connor/ |title=Las Cruces native tapped by Obama to lead U.S. agency {{!}} College of Engineering {{!}} New Mexico State University |website=engr.nmsu.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312144850/https://engr.nmsu.edu/news_09_03_24_connor/ |archive-date=2018-03-12}}</ref> he spent his childhood in New Mexico.<ref name="Senate_Connor_2013"/> He is an enrolled member of Taos Pueblo. His maternal grandfather was a leader within the [[Taos Pueblo]] community<ref name="Senate_Connor_2013"/> and was an original member of Taos Pueblo's water rights task force.<ref name="IndianCountryToday_2013"/> Connor received a [[Bachelor of Science]] in [[chemical engineering]] from [[New Mexico State University]] in 1986. He then received his [[Juris Doctor]] from the [[University of Colorado Law School]],<ref name="Announcement" /> and is admitted to the bars of [[Colorado]] and New Mexico.<ref name="engr.nmsu.edu"/>

He served as Counselcounsel to the United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee from<ref name="Announcement" /> May 2001<ref>{{citationcite web |title=Secretary Salazar Lauds Senate's Confirmation of Michael Connor as Reclamation Commissioner |url=https://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/2009_05_22_releaseA |website=U.S. Department of the Interior needed|date=22 May 20172009 |access-date=18 February 2024}} 2001</ref> until 2009.<ref name="Announcement" /> While serving as counsel he managed legislation for both the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey, developed water resources legislation and handled Native American issues that are within the Energy Committee's jurisdiction.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} He served as Commissioner of the [[U.S. Bureau of Reclamation]] at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), a position he held from 2009 until his appointment as Deputy Secretary.<ref name="Announcement" />

On July 31, 2013, [[Barack Obama|President Obama]] nominated Connor to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Interior,<ref name="WhiteHouse_Nominations_2013">{{cite web | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/31/presidential-nominations-sent-senate | work=[[whitehouse.gov]] | title=Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate | date=31 July 2013 | via=[[NARA|National Archives]] | access-date=12 April 2014}}</ref> which was vacated by [[David J. Hayes|David Hayes]] who resigned at the end of June 2013.<ref name="OGJ_HayesResigns">{{cite web | url=http://www.ogj.com/articles/2013/04/hayes-resigns-as-deputy-us-interior-secretary.html | title=Hayes resigns as Deputy US Interior Secretary | publisher=[[Oil and Gas Journal]] | access-date=12 April 2014 | author=Snow, Nick| date=30 April 2013 }}</ref> He received a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on September 17, 2013.<ref name="Senate_Connor_2013">{{cite web | url=http://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=09e23e1c-7444-4c62-9154-0475ed711035 | title=Statement of Michael Connor Nominee for the Position of Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources | publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources | date=17 September 2013 | access-date=12 April 2014}}</ref> He was later confirmed in a vote of 97–0 on February 27, 2014,<ref name="Bio" /><ref name="Senate_RollCall">{{cite web | url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00047 | title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress - 2nd Session | publisher=United States Senate | work=Vote Summary: Vote Number 47 | date=27 February 2014 | access-date=12 April 2014}}</ref> and iswas the first person of Native American descent to serve in that post.<ref name="IndianCountryToday_2013">[http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/10/08/connor-passes-committee-interior-no-2-post-151650 Connor Passes Committee for Interior No. 2 Post (Indian Country Today Media Network article-October 8, 2013)]</ref><ref name="Bio" /><ref>{{cite web |title=On the Nomination (Confirmation, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior) |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1132/vote_113_2_00047.htm |website=US Senate |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref>

On April 27, 2021, President [[Joe Biden]] announced his intent to nominate Connor to serve as [[Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)|United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works]] in the [[United States Department of the Army]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-27|title=President Biden Announces Key Administration Nominations in National Security |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/27/president-biden-announces-key-administration-nominations-in-national-security-2/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=The White House|language=en-US}}</ref> On AprilJuly 2827, 2021, his nomination was sentreported toout of the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Senate Armed Services Committee]], then by the [[United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works]] on September 13, 2021. Connor was confirmed by the Senate on November 4, 2021 by a vote of 92–5.<ref name=Congress>{{cite webnews |urllast=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/486?qRomancito |first=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Michael+connor%22%5D%7D&sRick |date=5&r=1December 2, 2021 |title=PN486Taos —Pueblo Michaeltribal Leemember Connorconfirmed —as Departmentnext ofAssistant DefenseArmy |website=congress.govSecretary for Civil Works |publishernewspaper=[[United StatesTaos CongressNews]] |url=https://www.taosnews.com/news/politics/taos-pueblo-tribal-member-confirmed-as-next-assistant-army-secretary-for-civil-works/article_ca15a18b-9603-546a-ad73-25c7a2879029.html |access-date=July 31, 2021-12-02}}</ref> On July 27, 2021, his nominationHe was reportedsworn outinto ofoffice theon [[UnitedNovember States29, Senate2021.<ref>{{Cite Committeeweb on Armed Services|Senatedate=November Armed29, Services2021 Committee]]|title=Mr. HisMichael nominationConnor, wasAssistant subsequentlySecretary referred toof the [[UnitedArmy Statesfor SenateCivil CommitteeWorks on|url=https://www.army.mil/article/252472/mr_michael_connor_assistant_secretary_of_the_army_for_civil_works Environment|access-date=December and4, Public2021 Works|Senatewebsite=www.army.mil Committee|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite onweb Environment|title=On andthe PublicNomination Works]](Confirmation: andMichael willLee beConnor, dischargedof inColorado, 20to daysbe toan Assistant Secretary of the fullArmy) [[United|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00463.htm States|website=US Senate |Senateaccess-date=5 floor]].<refMarch name=Congress2022}}</ref>

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[[Category:United States DeputyAssistant Secretaries of the InteriorArmy]]