Michael L. Connor: Difference between revisions

|image = OfficialMikeConnorMichaelLConnor.jpg

|office = 4th [[Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)|United States DeputyAssistant Secretary of the InteriorArmy for Civil Works]]

|president = [[BarackDepartment Obamaof Defense appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]]

|term_start = FebruaryNovember 2729, 20142021

|term_end = January 20, 2017

|predecessor = [[David JR.D. Hayes]]James

|successor = [[David L. Bernhardt|Dave Bernhardt]]

'''Michael L.Lee Connor''' is an American politician, andlawyer governmentand officialengineer. 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 served wasas the former [[United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior]] from 2014 untilto January 202017, 2017among other positions in [[United States Department of the Interior]].

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"/> Michael L. Connor received a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[chemical engineering]] from [[New Mexico State University]] in 1986. He then received his [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from the [[University of Colorado Law School|University Of Colorado School Of Law]],<ref name="Announcement" /> and is admitted to the bars of [[Colorado]] and New Mexico.<ref name="engr.nmsu.edu"/>

From 19841986 to 1990 he worked as a professional engineer<ref name="Announcement" /> for [[General Electric]].{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} He was a research assistant in the Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado from 1991 to 1993.<ref name="Announcement" /><ref name="Bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.doi.gov/whoweare/depsec.cfm |title=Mike Connor - Deputy Secretary of the Interior |publisher=United States Department of Interior |accessdateaccess-date=12 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413140608/http://www.doi.gov/whoweare/depsec.cfm |archivedatearchive-date=13 April 2014 }}</ref> He was then employed with the Interior Solicitor's Office in [[Washington, DC]] and in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]. He began his Department of the Interior career in the Solicitor's Honors Program in 1993.<ref name="Bio" /> During the Clinton Administration from 1993 to 2001, Connor served in the Department of the Interior, including as Deputy Director from 1998 to 1999<ref name="Announcement">{{cite web | url=httphttps://wwwobamawhitehouse.whitehousearchives.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/30/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts | title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts | publisherdate=whitehouse.gov30 July 2013 | workvia=Office[[NARA|National of the Press SecretaryArchives]] | datework=30 July 2013[[whitehouse.gov]] | accessdateaccess-date=12 April 2014}}</ref> and then Director of the Secretary's Indian Water Rights Office from 1998 to 2001. While serving in this capacity he represented the Secretary of the Interior in negotiations with Indian tribes, state representatives, and private water users to secure water rights settlements consistent with the federal trust responsibility to tribes.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

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=httphttps://wwwobamawhitehouse.whitehousearchives.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/31/presidential-nominations-sent-senate | work=[[whitehouse.gov]] | title=Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate | workdate=whitehouse.gov31 July 2013 | accessdatevia=[[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]] | accessdateaccess-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 | accessdateaccess-date=12 April 2014}}</ref> He was later confirmed in a vote of 97-097–0 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 | accessdate=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>

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[[Category:American1963 lawyersbirths]]

[[Category:United20th-century StatesAmerican Deputy Secretaries of the Interiorlawyers]]

[[Category:United21st-century StatesAmerican Bureau of Reclamation personnellawyers]]

[[Category:ObamaBiden administration personnel]]

[[Category:NativeGeneral AmericanElectric politicianspeople]]

[[Category:UniversityObama ofadministration Colorado Law School alumnipersonnel]]

[[Category:GeneralUnited ElectricStates peopleAssistant Secretaries of the Army]]