President Obama, Secretary Salazar Mark Interior's 160th Anniversary

President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar marked the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior today in a ceremony at the Yates Auditorium in the Main Interior Building. In addition to the 600 employees who packed the auditorium to watch the event, Department employees around the nation watched via satellite broadcast or listened via teleconference bridge. The Department was established on March 3, 1849.

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama greets Interior employees at the Department's 160th Anniversary ceremony at the Main Interior Building on March 3, 2009. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    Jerry Cordova, a member of the Taos Pueblo Tribe and the Native American Coordinator for the Bureau of Land Management, offers a blessing in his native Tiwa language and then in English. In the foreground are members of the U.S. Park Police Honor Guard. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC]

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    President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar mark the 160th Anniversary of the Department of the Interior in a ceremony at Interior Headquarters. [Photo Credit: Brian Tsai, OCO]

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