Public Land Sell-Offs Back on the Table in Budget Reconciliation

Photo credit: Reed Geiger

Public land sell-offs are once again on the table in Congress as lawmakers look for ways to raise revenue and pay for spending and tax cuts. The outdoor community has been speaking up loudly to keep public lands public—and now is a critical time to act.

Last week, the Senate kicked off budget reconciliation, a special process that allows certain tax, spending, or debt legislation to pass with just 51 votes in the Senate instead of the usual 60. It can only be used once per fiscal year and must focus solely on budget-related items.

To begin the process, the Senate held a vote-a-rama—a marathon session where senators can offer unlimited amendments to the budget resolution. Most amendments are symbolic, but they’re a chance for senators to signal priorities and shape the parameters of reconciliation before actual legislation is drafted.

In one key moment, Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO), along with Senators Kelly (D-AZ), Luján (D-NM), Wyden (D-OR), and Padilla (D-CA), introduced an amendment to prohibit the sale of public lands to raise federal revenue. This amendment would have blocked public land sell-offs as a way to generate revenue—but it failed narrowly, 48–51. The fact that Congress is even entertaining the idea of selling off public lands to balance the budget is deeply troubling—and something we haven’t seen seriously proposed before. Notably, Republican Senators Sheehy and Daines of Montana broke ranks to support the measure.

This amendment came in response to widespread reporting that some members of Congress were considering public land sales as a way to raise revenue. Senator Sullivan (R-AK) reportedly said that the Senate was discussing selling public lands: “The federal government owns a lot of lands — a lot of lands. I think it’s a great idea. We’re looking at different options for revenue raising.”

 Adam Cramer, Outdoor Alliance’s CEO, said, “Selling off America’s public lands to balance the budget is completely out of step with the values of the outdoor recreation community. These lands are where millions of us go to climb, ski, hike, bike, and connect with nature—and they are far too important to be treated like budget line items. The outdoor community has always stood up to protect these places, and we will continue to do so."

What Comes Next?

 Congress now starts to negotiate the contents of the reconciliation package—and without Heinrich and Hickenlooper’s amendment, there’s no formal guardrail to stop lawmakers from pushing public land sales as a revenue source, something numerous members of Congress are pushing for. The threat of large-scale public land sell-offs is more real right now than at any point in decades. It’s rare—and alarming—for this idea to gain traction at this level of government, especially as part of budget negotiations. If it moves forward, it would set a dangerous precedent that puts our most treasured outdoor spaces at risk whenever Congress needs cash.

Because of the inherently partisan nature of the reconciliation process, it’s really just Republican members, in both the House and Senate, who most need to be hearing from their constituents right now that public land sell offs and privatization are wholly unacceptable.

It's also worth noting that the development process for the actual, substantive content of reconciliation is likely to play out with a lot of secrecy, so there won’t be a lot of warning when things really come to a head. The best thing to be doing right now is to call the offices of any Republican elected officials in the House or Senate who represent you, and letting them know that public land sell offs are a red line. We will keep you in the loop as things develop, and try to share particularly ripe moments for outreach as we’re able, but know that there’s no bad time, and the best time to stave off these ideas is right now.

The House is expected to vote as soon as this week on reconciliation targets. While there may be more opportunities to push back in the coming weeks, the sooner we shut down these ideas, the better.