Senate Parliamentarian Scraps GOP Plan to Sell 3,200 Square Miles Federal Lands

A proposal by Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee to sell over 3,200 square miles of federal public lands in the West has been removed from a major Republican tax and spending bill after being ruled out by the Senate parliamentarian for violating chamber rules. The plan, which aims to transfer millions of acres to states or other entities for housing and infrastructure development, has revealed divisions within the GOP, with some Western senators opposing it. The Trump administration has also moved to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, which restricts logging on national forest lands, further angering environmentalists and Democrats who argue these moves threaten wildlife, clean water, and public recreation. Western governors have expressed mixed reactions, with some open to development under state control while others, like New Mexico's governor, emphasize the importance of keeping lands public. Environmental groups and Democratic senators have strongly opposed the plan, viewing it as a giveaway to private interests that could harm public access and conservation. Lee has vowed to continue pushing for the proposal despite setbacks and criticism, making last-minute adjustments to address concerns from hunting and rural communities.