Republicans support selling public lands as budget amendment fails
The pronghorn antelope has one of the longest big game migrations in the U.S.
Mason Cummings/TWS
Heinrich amendment that opposed sale of public lands fails to garner enough support
WASHINGTON D.C. (April 4, 2025) — By a 48-51 vote, senators defeated an amendment opposing the sale of public lands in the ongoing budget reconciliation process, raising alarm that land sell-offs will be included in the final budget bill.
In recent days, some Republican leaders have openly entertained selling off public lands to fund tax cuts for millionaires and corporations, among other Trump priorities, and this evening they put votes behind the rhetoric. All but two Republicans voted against the anti-sell-off amendment. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, both of Montana, joined the Democrats.
"Selling off these places to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy should have been dead on arrival, and it’s shameful that the Senate has failed to stand up against that idea."
The amendment was offered by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and six fellow Western Democrats during debate on the House-passed budget resolution, which lays out the basic framework that committees will follow as they raise money in the coming weeks to fund the Trump administration agenda.
Tracy Stone-Manning, president of The Wilderness Society, made the following statement in response to the amendment’s passage:
“Public lands belong to all Americans, not wealthy donors and corporate executives. Selling off these places to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy should have been dead on arrival, and it’s shameful that the Senate has failed to stand up against that idea. We applaud the senators who voted to support public lands, and we call on them to convince their colleagues to reject any final budget bill that includes the sell-off of public lands.
This vote is a wake-up call, and part of a concerning larger campaign being waged against public lands at every level of government, including mass firings of land managers and executive orders that demand more drilling and mining. It appears their ultimate goal is to destroy our conservation heritage, totally contrary to what Americans actually value. People want continued access to our public lands and expect them to be protected for wildlife and future generations, not sold off to the highest bidder.”
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