Provision to sell federal public lands pulled from Senate’s reconciliation bill

Washington — Outdoor organizations celebrated what they called a major victory for hunters and anglers after U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, pulled from the Senate’s budget reconciliation bill his proposal to sell millions of acres of federal public lands.

The original proposal announced in mid-June would have mandated the sale of as much as 3 million acres of federal lands in 11 western states under the pretense of helping to balance the federal budget and providing more affordable housing.

“Because of strict constraints of the budget reconciliation process, I was unable to secure clear, enforceable safeguards to guarantee that these lands would be sold only to American families – not to China, not to BlackRock, and not to any foreign interests,” Lee said in a statement Saturday. “For that reason, I’ve made the decision to withdraw the federal land sales provision from the bill. I continue to believe the federal government owns far too much land – land it is mismanaging and in many cases ruining for the next generation.”

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— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 29, 2025

Outdoor groups across the country pushed back in recent weeks, saying one-time payments from the sale of public lands would do little to balance the federal budget. Democrats widely opposed the language that mandated the sale of public lands, while some Republicans in Western states also helped kill the proposal. 

“Hunters and anglers made it abundantly clear that reconciliation is not the appropriate vehicle for public land sales,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “Public lands are a cornerstone of our national heritage, our outdoor traditions, and the economies of countless communities across the country. We’re deeply grateful to Sens. (Tim) Sheehy (R-Montana), (Steve) Daines (R-Montana), (Mike) Crapo (R-Idaho), and (James) Risch (R-Idaho) for their leadership, and all the lawmakers – including Sen. (Martin) Heinrich (D-New Mexico) – who helped ensure this short-sighted proposal was removed.”

“The removal of public land sales from the budget bill is more than a legislative correction. It’s a reminder of the power of collective advocacy,” Pedersen said. “This outcome affirms our long-held belief: When we unite, we win.”

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Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, a public-lands advocacy organization, said that in a single day – June 25 – BHA supporters delivered more than 33,148 messages to Congress.

“This win belongs to the hunters, anglers, and public landowners who stood up and said loud and clear: Our lands are not for sale,” said Patrick Berry, BHA president and CEO. “BHA members flooded the phone lines, sent emails, rallied their communities, and kept the pressure on until this provision was pulled. We didn’t just show up;  we led the charge.” 

Jeff Crane, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation president and CEO, called provision’s withdrawal a “significant win for sportsmen and women and our unique system of public lands that belong to all U.S. citizens.”

American Hunters & Anglers Co-Chair Land Tawney released the following statement in response to Lee’s announcement:

“Don’t fall for Lee’s spin. You spoke up. You showed up. You stopped this disaster – for now. “Round One goes to the people.”