Senate Votes Down Measure Aimed At Blocking Public Land Sell-Off
Republicans are eyeing federal public land sales to help offset Trump's tax and spending cuts.
The Senate voted early Saturday to advance a budget framework for slashing federal spending and permanently extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, but rejected an amendment seeking to block federal lands from being sold off to reduce the federal deficit.
Some Republicans, including Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), have floated the idea of selling off public lands to address America’s housing crunch and help cover losses from forgone tax revenue, as E&E News first reported earlier in the week.
In a marathon debate overnight, Senate Democrats introduced numerous amendments to the budget framework, including one from Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) meant to stymie any GOP attempt to dispose of federal lands as part of the budget plan.
The amendment ultimately failed by a 48-51 vote, largely along party lines. Two Republicans — Montana Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy — joined Democrats in supporting the measure.
Selling off public land is broadly unpopular and the GOP’s multi-pronged attack on the federal estate in recent months has outraged conservationists and environmental groups. The amendment’s failure came as yet another blow to public land advocates.
Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, said in a statement that any attempt to dispose of public lands poses “a dire threat to Americans’ ability to access and enjoy our country’s incredible natural and cultural resources.”
“We applaud the Senators who voted for this amendment and urge all Americans to help us ensure that our national parks, national monuments, and public lands remain in the hands of the American people,” she said.
In her own statement, Chris Hill, CEO of the Conservation Lands Foundation, said “selling off the country’s national public lands to fund a tax break for the wealthy is an assault on everyone who values their access to the outdoors–regardless of political affiliation.”
Sheehy’s vote to buck the party line is notable. While campaigning against incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) last year, Sheehy called for federal lands to be “turned over to state agencies, or even counties.” He promptly backed away from that position amid public backlash.
Sheehy and Daines’ support for an amendment to block federal land sales comes weeks after the two senators spent time mingling with leaders of the Property and Environment Research Center, a Montana-based nonprofit that promotes “free market environmentalism” and has a history of advocating for the privatization of federal acres, as Public Domain previously reported.
The Senate budget framework is expected to be taken up in the House, where Republicans hold a slightly larger majority, as early as next week.