House Democrats cope with Biden administration pilfering from their slim majority

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer say they would celebrate the nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland to serve as the interior secretary next year under incoming President Joe Biden.

But Haaland would become the third House Democrat to leave Congress for the Biden administration, and her departure would temporarily shrink the perilously slim Democratic majority by yet another vote. The incoming Biden team has already tapped Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana Democrat, to serve as a senior adviser, and Marcia Fudge, an Illinois Democrat, for Housing and Urban Development secretary.