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.'
Are you a billionaire?
Ignoring the sad fact that we have accepted that money buys politicians in America, we have to remember that politicians attract money from people/groups not because they are "liked", but because they are viewed as useful.
All of our politicians are for sale Non of them represent their constituents. They represent their party and their donors. They run for office tell us what we want to hear and then bend us over. We let them do it over and over and over
