A bill drafted by Sen. Mark Kelly to make the Chiricahua National Monument into a national park was unanimously passed in the United States Senate.
The Chiricahua National Park Act, which Kelly introduced in April, was co-sponsored by Senator Kyrsten Sinema and presented by U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick.
Kelly said the monument is a natural wonder that is worthy to be made a national park. He believes that establishing the park will boost tourism and create much-needed job opportunities for Cochise County and southeastern Arizona.
The Chiricahua National Monument, once home to the Chiricahua Apache tribe, was created in 1924 by a Presidential Proclamation.
It covers over 12,000 acres and includes an 8-mile picturesque drive. It also has 25 campsites and 17 miles of hiking trails that are day-use.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Public Media.