Department of the Interior: Difference between revisions

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 A department for domestic concern was first considered by the [[1st United States Congress]] in 1789, but those duties were placed in the [[United States Department of State|Department of State]]. The idea of a separate domestic department continued to percolate for a half-century and was supported by presidents from [[James Madison]] to [[James Polk]]. The 1846–48 [[Mexican–American War]] gave the proposal new steam as the responsibilities of the federal government grew. Polk's [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|secretary of the treasury]], [[Robert J. Walker]], became a vocal champion of creating the new department.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Department of the Interior: The Department of Everything Else |url=https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/utley-mackintosh/interior1.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617020050/https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/utley-mackintosh/interior1.htm |archive-date=June 17, 2021 |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert J Walker Secretary of the Treasury 1845-1849 |url=https://home.treasury.gov/about/history/prior-secretaries/robert-j-walker-1845-1849 |url-status=live |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=Treasury Department |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003161303/https://home.treasury.gov/about/history/prior-secretaries/robert-j-walker-1845-1849 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-01 |title=History of the Department of the Interior |url=https://www.doi.gov/whoweare/history |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.doi.gov |language=en |archive-date=March 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317013543/https://www.doi.gov/whoweare/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
-In 1849, Walker stated in his annual report that several federal offices were placed in departments with which they had little to do. He noted that the [[United States General Land Office]] had little to do with the Treasury and also highlighted the [[Bureau of Indian Affairs|Indian Affairs office]], part of the [[United States Department of War|Department of War]], and the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office|Patent Office]], part of the [[United States Department of State|Department of State]]. Walker argued that these and other bureaus should be brought together in a new Department of the Interior.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} A bill authorizing its creation of the department passed the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] on February 15, 1849, and spent just over two weeks in the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. The department was established on March 3, 1849 ({{USStat|9|395}}), the eve of President [[Zachary Taylor]]'s inauguration, when the Senate voted 31 to 25 to create the department. Its passage was delayed by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] in [[United States Congress|Congress]] who were reluctant to create more [[patronage]] posts for the incoming [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] administration to fill. The first [[United States Secretary of the Interior|secretary of the interior]] was [[Thomas Ewing]].
+In 1849, Walker stated in his annual report that several federal offices were placed in departments with which they had little to do. He noted that the [[United States General Land Office]] had little to do with the Treasury and also highlighted the [[Bureau of Indian Affairs|Indian Affairs office]], part of the [[United States Department of War|Department of War]], and the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office|Patent Office]], part of the [[United States Department of State|Department of State]]. Walker argued that these and other bureaus should be brought together in a new Department of the Interior.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} A bill authorizing its creation of the department passed the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] on February 15, 1849, and spent just over two weeks in the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. The department was established on March 3, 1849 ({{USStat|9|395}}), the eve of President [[Zachary Taylor]]'s inauguration, when the Senate voted 31 to 25 to create the department. Its passage was delayed by Democrats in [[United States Congress|Congress]] who were reluctant to create more [[patronage]] posts for the incoming [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] administration to fill. The first [[United States Secretary of the Interior|secretary of the interior]] was [[Thomas Ewing]].
 Several of the domestic concerns the department originally dealt with were gradually transferred to other departments. For example, the Department of Interior was responsible for water pollution control prior to the creation of the [[Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elkins |first=Chuck |date=October 2013 |title=Transcript of "Behind the Scenes at the Creation of the EPA" Video |url=https://www.epaalumni.org/userdata/pdf/600A1DB1B9EF1E85.pdf#page=3 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |website=EPA Alumni Association |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412070138/https://www.epaalumni.org/userdata/pdf/600A1DB1B9EF1E85.pdf#page=3 |url-status=live }}</ref> Other agencies became separate departments, such as the [[Bureau of Agriculture]], which later became the [[United States Department of Agriculture|Department of Agriculture]]. However, land and natural resource management, American Indian affairs, wildlife conservation, and territorial affairs remain the responsibilities of the Department of the Interior.