Coalition Continues to Support Haaland as her Nomination for Interior Secretary Heads to a Full Senate Confirmation Vote
WASHINGTON, DC — Earlier today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted to advance the nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland for Secretary of the Interior Department to a full Senate confirmation vote.
In reaction to the vote, Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, explained:
“Representative Deb Haaland is the type of national parks and public lands champion we need at the helm of Interior. Her nomination to be Secretary of the Interior is historic and we applaud the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for recognizing Haaland’s experience as a public lands champion and advancing her nomination to a full Senate vote.
“We appreciate Representative Haaland’s experience protecting and managing America’s most majestic landmarks. As a member of the National Resources Committee and its National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands subcommittee, she has been at the forefront crafting thoughtful solutions to combating the climate crisis that continues to impact our national parks.
“Both the Interior Department and the National Park Service will have to undo adverse actions and advance a more progressive agenda. We need to restore the operating budget of the National Park Service and fill all the vacant positions that exist, including the Director of the National Park Service. And our National Park System must better represent our nation’s diverse people, places, and stories. Environmental protections must be restored, and our country needs to seriously address the threat of climate change.
“We need a leader who will put our irreplaceable resources first. We need someone like Deb Haaland running the Department of the Interior and we urge the Senate to confirm her as soon as possible.”
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