Public lands are the heart of America’s outdoor heritage—and they are still on the chopping block.
Outdoor advocates have been sounding the alarm about efforts to sell off millions of acres of public land through the federal budget reconciliation process. While the House version of the reconciliation bill originally included language that would allow for mass public land sales, intense public pressure from recreationists, hunters, anglers, and conservationists across the country helped strip that language out.
Senator Mike Lee’s Public Land Sell-Off Proposal and Why It Is So Problematic
Senator Mike Lee introduced a proposal in the Senate version of the budget reconciliation that would have mandated the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of public land in the West. Nearly 300 million acres of public lands could be open for these proposed sales, including nearly 100,000 miles of trails, more than 45,000 climbing routes, and 3,405 river miles across the West.
After a massive outcry from the recreation community, the Senate Parliamentarian rejected the proposal, ruling that it violated the Byrd Rule, which limits what can be included in budget reconciliation bills.
Still committed to selling your public lands as a means of providing tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy, Senator Mike Lee drafted a new proposal. Though slightly narrowed, it still calls for the sale of 1.2 million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands within 5 miles of population centers—making it even more likely that beloved recreation areas near communities will be targeted for sale.
What’s more, this would set a precedent that Congress can use budget reconciliation—a process meant for fiscal policy—to bypass existing safeguards to sell off public lands without public input of debate.
Your Voice is Making a Difference
The outdoor recreation community has already made a difference. Earlier versions of this proposal have been struck down because we showed up. Every call, email, and social media post has made a difference.
Keep the pressure on not only for you and your favorite paddling partner, but for the future generations who are yet to experience the joy and community that comes from spending time playing outside.
Take Action
This bill is moving quickly through Congress. Outdoor Alliance has made it easy to contact your representatives. Make your message even more impactful by personalizing the subject line and the first few sentences of your message.
Keep public lands in public hands, contact your lawmakers today.