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In D.C.: Republicans in U.S. Senate block a voting rights bill but Democrats vow to press again
By: Jacob Fischler - November 3, 2021
WASHINGTON – Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday blocked another voting rights bill, this one named for Georgia civil rights icon John R. Lewis. On a 50-49 vote, the Senate declined to proceed to debate on the latest Democratic effort at a nationwide voting rights overhaul meant to stymie Republican-led state laws restricting voting access. […]
U.S. Senate committee advances Sams’ nomination for National Park Service director
By: Jacob Fischler - November 2, 2021
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on a voice vote Tuesday approved Charles F. Sams III’s nomination to lead the National Park Service. Sams, an Oregonian who would be the first enrolled tribal member to be NPS director, won the support of several Republicans on the committee. Ranking Republican John Barrasso […]
Biden’s new public lands chief faced with building bridges after confirmation battle
By: Jacob Fischler - October 21, 2021
Before she inspired partisan theatrics in the U.S. Senate as the Bureau of Land Management nominee, Tracy Stone-Manning built a reputation in Montana — her home for more than 30 years — as a consensus-builder. Stone-Manning stood out as an expert at bridging divides between conservationists and loggers, miners and recreational land users, in a […]
National parks nominee from Oregon pledges to ramp up workforce, improve staff morale
By: Jacob Fischler - October 19, 2021
President Joe Biden’s choice to lead the National Park Service told a U.S. Senate panel Tuesday he would work to rebuild the agency’s workforce, which has shrunk even as park attendance hits new records. Charles F. Sams III, of Oregon, would be the first enrolled tribal member to lead the National Park Service. He is […]