Newest US Senate Land Sale Amendment

[Matthew57]

It doesn't matter much to me, I would never strike a deal with Lee at this point. Not one acre.

 

[Treeshark]

I've not had anyone tell me it isn't legit.

I have just recently seen it being reported elsewhere (The Hill)- it matched exactly what you posted.

 

[beagle001]

Got to speak with a couple staffers on my calls today- one being the local office to my Rep, whom I get often. Feel like I convey things better to a real person than to a machine.
Pedal to the floor!

 

[Montana_Wanderer]

Wow, someone actually answered when I called Sheehy today. Caught me by surprise as everyone else has been voicemail.

 

[dranrab]

I am doing what I can from down here in the deep south. I am circulating this on various forms of social media. I can't believe the temerity of Lee. He shot America the bird and is trying again. It takes a lot of gall to ask Americans to sell of their public lands to compensate for congress' fiscal incompetency. https://www.outdooralliance.org/blo...HZKtLzPuJU809tYZ3g_aem_06UWm2DwgzIifZn2-xJX8Q

 

[Southern Elk]

I’ve been working in a spot without much cell service, but I did get emails out today. Going to try to make some phone calls now.

Not. One. Acre.

 

[Catskill.Joe]

Where did you get this document? I would share it around, but it carries more legitimacy if one can say something about where it came from.

new account asking about where you got the document. Mike Lee - that you?

 

[mbhuberman]

I am headed to DC this weekend to do more lobbying on public land issues next week. I just finished some calls/texts with folks who are "in the know" about the proposal Senator Lee (R-UT) promised would be coming this week as part of the Senate budget version.

Details as I understand will become known in the next couple days, likely at the last minute so as to avoid the ability to mount much resistance:

• 2-3 Million acres to be sold for "affordable housing."
• Will include a lot of USFS lands, not just Dept of Interior lands as in the House amendment and FLTFA.
• Proceeds used to offset budget gaps, not replacement lands as per FLTFA.
• Lee's language has Montana exempted from any land sales in hopes he can gain the votes of Daines & Sheehy, votes needed to move it forward.

I hope my source is not correct, but this source has never been wrong before. This person has been in a position for decades to know what goes on in that committee.

Lee has been holding back his amendment until he knew he had the votes to get it passed through his committee and not have his land sale amendment kill the "Big Beautiful Bill.'

Fuggin' idgits.

Contact your Senator here. And do is now - https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Thanks much for your efforts and your latest report! Much appreciated. I live in NM and love our Public Land here.

 

[swede_ass]

new account asking about where you got the document. Mike Lee - that you?

Nope, just a guy who found this thread linked on reddit and would rather know something about the provenance of the document other than "I found this on the internet" when sharing and talking about it. I understand I seem fishy.

 

[cgasner1]

@Big Fin these articles keep taking about this being a republican push. To me it seems like Lee is out on an island by himself. Who all is actually supporting this besides him?

 

[mottlet]

Nope, just a guy who found this thread linked on reddit and would rather know something about the provenance of the document other than "I found this on the internet" when sharing and talking about it. I understand I seem fishy.

Here ya go...

Mike Lee moves to shrink land sales in megabill​

It’s unclear whether the new text will be part of the final Republican tax, energy and border spending package.
By:
Garrett Downs
| 06/25/2025 04:25 PM EDT

E&E NEWS PM | Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee has moved to shrink his proposed public land sell-off in the Republicans’ megabill as he races to save the provision from the parliamentarian’s knife.

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough this week said an earlier plan from the Utah Republicans could not pass by simple majority under budget reconciliation. Hunters and other conservation-minded conservatives also took to social media to protest the land sales.
New text making the rounds on Capitol Hill, obtained by POLITICO's E&E News, would implement changes Lee touted on social media Monday evening.

Specifically, Lee’s new proposal would remove all Forest Service land from potential sale and would significantly shrink Bureau of Land Management land from up to 0.75 percent to 0.5 percent across 11 states. Any land sold under the plan would have to be within 5 miles of a population center to address housing concerns.

The National Wildlife Federation in a press release predicted the revised version would still open up more than a million acres for sale.

It's unclear whether the new language has been submitted to the parliamentarian and whether it would pass muster. Lee's office did not respond to a request for comment.

 

[mbhuberman]

It doesn't matter much to me, I would never strike a deal with Lee at this point. Not one acre.

I agree, no deals with Mike Lee. Horrific that this is happening. He is trying to get this to happen before enough people realize what it actually is. "Millions of Acres" like it's no big deal...

 

[mbhuberman]

@Big Fin these articles keep taking about this being a republican push. To me it seems like Lee is out on an island by himself. Who all is actually supporting this besides him?

That's a good question. Seems like the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Bugum (sp?) is... I just saw a clip of Lee and the Secretary during a recent hearing in the Senate talking about how great this sale would be for affordable housing (NOT). Looked like Bunum and Lee had rehearsed what they were doing. There was a big meeting of Western Gov's with this Secretary earlier this week in Santa Fe. I went to the rally in protest, there were several thousand of us who turned out during the afternoon on a weekday. Hunter and Conservationists together! Can't have hunting in wild places without healthy ecosystems. Let's keep working to stop this rip-off.

 

[rideold]

By my calculations there are 839,296 acres of BLM lands within 5 miles of incorporated places. As far as I've heard "populated places" is not defined in the text so the number could be larger depending on how one decides what a populated place is.

Some of the points I've been sending to my senators and representative is that this proximity stipulation has the following effects:

1. Promotes urban sprawl
2. Disincentivizes public transportation
3. Threatens winter habitat because those low lying areas of public land tend to hold wintering grounds
4. Reduces access to trails and recreation for those access those activities from home or close to home

The final point I have been making is that if any senator wanted to help with housing they would work to support local governments rather than sell public lands. The availability of greenfield for development is not why we have housing shortages.

 

[fleabagmatt]

Most Excellent quoting of @Big Fin:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/mike-lee-new-land-sale-provision/

 

[Southern Elk]

Calls made to my MT senators and congressman. Had to leave voicemails but I will call again tomorrow.

Here’s the switchboard number. It’s really easy. 202-224-3121

@Big Fin should we still be calling Thune? If so, what’s the current message now that this garbage is back on the table?

 

[Big Fin]

Calls made to my MT senators and congressman. Had to leave voicemails but I will call again tomorrow.

Here’s the switchboard number. It’s really easy. 202-224-3121

@Big Fin should we still be calling Thune? If so, what’s the current message now that this garbage is back on the table?

Yes, keep calling Thune's office. I doubt he'd override a Parliamentarian, but let's not give him any opportunity to do so.

 

[Southern Elk]

Yes, keep calling Thune's office. I doubt he'd override a Parliamentarian, but let's not give him any opportunity to do so.

Does this revision from Lee go back to the Parliamentarian? And when?

 

[Big Fin]

Does this revision from Lee go back to the Parliamentarian? And when?

Yes, it must go back. They want to vote on it on Friday, so it will need to happen in the next day or two.

 

[elkduds]

Don’t insult Deutsch bags by linking them to Lee. That’s offensive to Deutsch bags everywhere.