WASHINGTON D.C. (NMB) – In a tie vote, the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning of Missoula to serve as Director the Bureau of Land Management.
The nomination will now move to the Senate floor.
All 10 republicans on the committee, including Senator Steve Daines, voted in opposition. Daines cited Stone-Manning’s involvement in a tree spiking incident in 1989 as a reason he believes she is unfit for the role.
Senator Jon Tester has expressed fervent support for Stone-Manning, who previously served as his senior aide. In a statement following Thursday’s vote, he called her a “tireless advocate for the public lands that drive Montana’s economy.”
Stone-Manning is a Senior Advisor at the National Wildlife Federation based in Montana, and was formerly the Chief of Staff to Governor Steve Bullock.
