The Student Conservation Association applauds the unanimous U.S. Senate vote to confirm Chuck F. Sams III as director of the National Park Service. Mr. Sams, a member of the Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes, which are part of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, will become the first Native American to lead the agency in its 105-year history. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy, an experienced land manager, and a former corps executive. This broad and relevant background makes Mr. Sams uniquely qualified for his new role and SCA looks forward to working with him to achieve the conservation objectives of the National Park Service and provide transformative service opportunities for young Americans of all backgrounds.
SCA urges the Senate to take the additional step of approving the recent House-passed spending plan, specifically funding for a Civilian Climate Corps. On the heels of COP26 in Glasgow, this initiative will boost our environment and our economy by building climate resiliency in our cities, addressing backlogged maintenance needs on our public lands, and providing employment for youth, people of color, and other marginalized populations. The intensifying effects of climate change as well as increasingly dire forecasts for the future compel action now in the hope of heading off further and potentially irreversible impacts on our planet. SCA calls on the Senate to pass the Civilian Climate Corps.