WASHINGTON – The Senate will vote Monday on the confirmation of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland as the next Secretary of the Interior. Her confirmation was advanced by the full Senate in a procedural vote on Thursday, with four Republicans voting in favor of moving forward. 

The Interior Department administers 415 million acres of land, nearly two-thirds of the federal estate, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the National Park Service (NPS). In the last Congress, Rep. Haaland served as both the chair of the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee and as vice chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. She introduced H.Res.835, which sets a goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. land and water by 2030 and the ANTIQUITIES Act, which protects national monuments like Bears Ears from being reduced by the president.

Steve Blackledge, senior director for Environment America’s conservation program, issued the following statement: 

“Simply put, Rep. Haaland is the right person to lead the Department of the Interior. 

“As a leader with a track record of protecting critical wildlife habitat and iconic places, she will safeguard our national parks and monuments. She is in tune with America’s conservation values—which cut across party affiliation and political identity. She’s shown this with her effort to protect 30 percent of U.S. land and water by 2030, a policy which is supported by 80 percent of Americans.

“Let’s face it: Americans of all stripes recognize that we can’t endlessly pave over our wild places. They get that we have to set some habitats aside and let nature survive and thrive unimpeded. And after a year largely stuck indoors, we all understand that our lives are made richer with more nature. Rep. Haaland gets this and will ensure we protect our great outdoor treasures.”

This post was originally published on Radio Free.