Friday, May 28, 2010

Ken Salazar

Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar (pronounced /ˈsæləzɑr/; born March 2, 1955) is the 50th and current United States Secretary of the Interior, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez (R-Florida) were the first Hispanic U.S. Senators since 1977; they were joined by Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) in January 2006. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, he served as Attorney General of Colorado from 1999 to 2005.

On December 17, 2008, President-elect Obama announced he would nominate Salazar as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. The environmentalist movement's reaction to this nomination was mixed.[1][2] Previously, Salazar supported the nomination of Gale Norton to Secretary of the Interior,[3] President George W. Bush's controversial first appointee who preceded Salazar as Colorado Attorney General. On January 20, 2009, Salazar was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate.
50th United States Secretary of the Interior
Incumbent
Assumed office January 20, 2009
President
Barack Obama
Preceded by
Dirk Kempthorne
United States Senatorfrom Colorado
In officeJanuary 3, 2005 – January 20, 2009
Preceded by
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Succeeded by
Michael Bennet
36th Attorney General of Colorado
In officeJanuary 12, 1999 – January 3, 2005
Governor
Bill Owens
Preceded by
Gale Norton
Succeeded by
John Suthers
Born
March 2, 1955 (1955-03-02) (age 55)Alamosa, United States
Political party
Democratic
Spouse(s)
Hope Salazar
Residence
Denver, United States
Alma mater
Colorado CollegeUniversity of Michigan Law School
Profession
Lawyer
Religion
Roman Catholic

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