The Senate is expected to confirm former Rep. Steve Pearce to lead the Bureau of Land Management on Monday night, along with several other energy and environment nominees.
The chamber is scheduled to vote on a slate of 49 nominees en bloc, following several procedural votes needed to clear the way for a mass confirmation under new Republican-backed rules.
President Donald Trump’s nomination of Pearce to lead the nation’s major land agency triggered sharp divisions in the Senate, where Democrats raised concerns about the New Mexican’s ties to the oil and gas industry, and his past support for public land sales.
Pearce, who served a total of seven terms in the House and also made failed bids for the Senate and governor, sought to refute those critics during his confirmation hearing, while also vowing to make local input on public lands decisions a priority if confirmed.
