Ken Salazar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ken Salazar
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Salazar in 2022
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| United States Ambassador to Mexico | |
| In office September 14, 2021 – January 7, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Christopher Landau |
| Succeeded by | Mark Coolidge Johnson (Chargé d'affaires ad interim) |
| 50th Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office January 20, 2009 – April 12, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | David J. Hayes |
| Preceded by | Dirk Kempthorne |
| Succeeded by | Sally Jewell |
| United States Senator from Colorado |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – January 20, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Ben Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Michael Bennet |
| 36th Attorney General of Colorado | |
| In office January 12, 1999 – January 3, 2005 |
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| Governor | Bill Owens |
| Preceded by | Gale Norton |
| Succeeded by | John Suthers |
| Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources | |
| In office 1990–1994 |
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| Governor | Roy Romer |
| Preceded by | Hamlet Barry |
| Succeeded by | James Lochhead |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kenneth Lee Salazar
March 2, 1955 Alamosa, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Hope Hernandez |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | John Salazar (brother) |
| Education | Colorado College (BA) University of Michigan (JD) |
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| Signature |  |
Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in another country. Ken Salazar has held several important jobs in the United States government.
He is currently the United States Ambassador to Mexico. Before that, he was the 50th Secretary of the Interior for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. He also served as a U.S. Senator for Colorado from 2005 to 2009.
Ken Salazar is a member of the Democratic Party. He was one of the first Hispanic U.S. Senators since 1977. Before becoming a Senator, he was the Attorney General of Colorado from 1999 to 2005.
In 2008, President-elect Obama chose Salazar to be the Secretary of the Interior. The Senate approved his nomination in 2009. In 2013, he left this job and later became a partner at a law firm. In 2016, he led Hillary Clinton's team that would have helped her become president if she had won the election.
In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Salazar to be the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. The Senate approved him, and he started his job in September 2021.
Contents
Early life and education
Ken Salazar was born in Alamosa, Colorado, on March 2, 1955. His parents were Emma Montoya and Enrique Salazar. His older brother, John Salazar, also became a politician. Ken grew up near Manassa, in a community called Los Rincones. This area is in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.
He went to Centauri High School in La Jara and graduated in 1973. He then studied at Colorado College, earning a degree in political science in 1977. Later, he earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981. After finishing his studies, Salazar began working as a lawyer.
Salazar's family has deep roots in the Southwestern United States. He identifies as Mexican American. He has shared that he faced prejudice growing up because of his heritage.
Career
Colorado cabinet
In 1986, Ken Salazar became the main legal advisor for the Governor of Colorado, Roy Romer. In 1990, Governor Romer appointed him to his Cabinet. A cabinet is a group of advisors to a leader, like a governor or president. Salazar became the director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
In this role, he helped create the Great Outdoors Colorado Amendment. This program helps protect land and nature. He also started the Youth in Natural Resources program. This program allowed many young people in Colorado to learn about and work with natural resources.
As a cabinet member, he made changes to how mining and oil companies operated. These changes helped protect the environment. He also helped plan the redevelopment of Denver's South Platte River Valley. This project turned an old industrial area into a lively economic center.
Colorado attorney general
In 1994, Salazar returned to working as a private lawyer. In 1998, he was elected as the state's Attorney General. An Attorney General is the chief legal officer of a state. He was reelected in 2002. During his time, he made police operations more efficient. He also created new law enforcement groups, like the Gang Prosecution Unit.
As Attorney General, he led many investigations. This included the investigation into the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. Salazar was recognized for his work during this difficult time. His office also worked on several environmental cleanup cases across the state.
U.S. Senate
In 2004, Ken Salazar decided to run for a U.S. Senate seat. A U.S. Senator represents their state in the national government. He won the election and started his term on January 3, 2005.
Salazar was a key member of a group of senators who worked on a bill about immigration. This bill aimed to help undocumented immigrants become citizens and improve border security. He wanted the new system to be fair for all immigrants.
In 2005, Salazar was part of a group of senators who reached a compromise on how to handle judicial appointments. This agreement helped avoid major political disagreements.
He also worked on environmental issues. He supported efforts to limit natural gas drilling in sensitive areas like the Roan Plateau in Colorado. He also worked to get benefits for workers at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant who became ill.
Salazar resigned from his Senate seat on January 20, 2009. He left to become the Secretary of the Interior for President Barack Obama.
Secretary of the Interior
When President Obama asked him, Salazar agreed to join his cabinet as the Secretary of the Interior. This job involves managing the country's public lands and natural resources. The Secretary of the Interior oversees important agencies like the National Park Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Salazar was one of two Hispanic members in Obama's Cabinet. He was the second Hispanic Interior Secretary in U.S. history.
As Secretary, Salazar worked to make sure national parks and monuments included the stories of all Americans. He helped create new monuments to honor important figures and places. These included Cesar Chavez, the Buffalo Soldiers, Harriet Tubman, and Native American sites like Chimney Rock.
Some environmental groups were concerned about Salazar's past ties to the coal and mining industries. However, others praised him for his commitment to protecting land and water.
In 2009, Salazar considered reopening the Statue of Liberty's crown to tourists. The crown had been closed since the September 11, 2001 attacks. He wanted to show that "the path to the light of liberty is open to all."
He also made decisions about wildlife, like the Rocky Mountain gray wolf. He approved removing them from the Endangered Species List in some states.
Salazar also focused on developing renewable energy on public lands. He approved the first-ever solar energy projects on public lands. He also worked to increase hydropower generation at federal facilities.
During his time, he also faced challenges, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He worked to improve safety rules for offshore oil and gas drilling. He also created new partnerships to develop urban parks in cities like New York City and Denver. Under his leadership, seven new national parks and 10 new national monuments were created.
In January 2013, Salazar announced he would resign. His replacement, Sally Jewell, took over in April 2013.
Clinton transition team
In August 2016, Ken Salazar was chosen to lead Hillary Clinton's team. This team would have prepared for her to become president if she had won the election. However, Donald Trump won the election, so Salazar did not lead the White House transition team.
Ambassador to Mexico
In June 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Salazar to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country. The Senate approved his nomination in August 2021.
He officially started his job on September 14, 2021, when he presented his credentials to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico.
See also
In Spanish: Ken Salazar para niños
