Committee vote on Sams is next week

By Terry Murry on Thursday, October 28th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will consider CTUIR leader Chuck Sams’ nomination to be National Park Service director at a meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The meeting is in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Sams is one of eight nominees who will be considered by the committee. The session will be streamed live on the committee’s website. It will also be available as an archived video shortly after the meeting concludes. Senate office buildings are not open to the public with the exception of visitors on official business and credentialed media, so in-person attendance is not possible.

The next step in the nomination process for Sams would be the confirmation by the full U.S. Senate. A representative for Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said that the senator has been talking to members of the committee and is encouraged by what he’s hearing. Sams would be the first American Indian to serve as director of the nation’s parks.