Senate GOP Revises Public Land Sale Plans Across Western States

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has significantly reduced the scope of his controversial public land sale proposal included in the Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill aimed at advancing President Donald Trump's tax and spending agenda. The revised measure now mandates the sale of between 0.25% and 0.5% of Bureau of Land Management land, excluding U.S. Forest Service land and federally protected areas, focusing on parcels within five miles of population centers to support housing development and related infrastructure. This downsizing is a response to a Senate Parliamentarian ruling that the original proposal violated the Byrd Rule, which restricts non-fiscal provisions in reconciliation bills, and to widespread opposition from environmentalists and some conservative groups. The updated plan prioritizes lands nominated by states or local governments that are adjacent to developed areas and suitable for residential housing, aiming to address the nationwide housing shortage while attempting to gain broader legislative support. Despite these changes, concerns remain about the sale of over a million acres of public lands and its potential environmental impact. It remains unclear whether the revised proposal has been approved by the Senate Parliamentarian or will pass the Senate, where it now requires 60 votes due to procedural constraints.