The History of the Department of Interior

The Department of Interior is almost 200 years old. It was created in the 1840s and 50s as a result of an effort to get out of work associated with the General Land Office. Even before you became Deputy Secretary and then Secretary,you'd had a long career there. You learn through that process how to try and manage those responsibilities in a way that's consistent with the law, consistent with the facts, and then obviously appropriate, consistent with policy direction that the president has.