Our Nation’s Newest National Monument: Congresswoman Lee Celebrates Avi Kwa Ame Designation in Her District

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) joined fellow members of the Nevada delegation, environmental advocates, and Tribal leaders in celebrating President Biden's official designation of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument at the White House Conservation In Action Summit at the Department of the Interior.

"For over a year, I've stood alongside environmental advocates and tribal leaders in calling for Avi Kwa Ame to become our nation's next national monument. Today, we have made that dream a reality," said Congresswoman Susie Lee. "To the activists and advocates who started this movement, and to this Administration for taking the final steps today in making history, thank you. This land holds immense cultural, recreational, and ecological value. Today's action honors our commitment to the 12 tribes who consider these lands to be sacred and the abundance of diverse ecological treasures they encompass."

As the Representative for these public lands, Congresswoman Lee has led the way for Avi Kwa Ame's designation. Last year, she was one of the first federal lawmakers to call on the Biden administration to take this step, and last September, she joined Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in touring the site along with tribal and community leaders.

Spanning over 500,000 acres, Avi Kwa Ame is a sacred site for 12 Native American tribes in Nevada and across the West and contains some of the most visually stunning and biologically diverse lands in the Mojave Desert. As the nation's newest national monument, Avi Kwa Ame and its precious ecosystems are now protected under the 1906 Antiquities Act.

You can read more about this historic designation here.

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