Public land sale provision cut from megabill after pushback and industry advocacy
Despite one controversial bill passing through the Senate, an added proposal to sell off up to 1.2 million acres of federally managed public lands was removed from a major spending bill after facing widespread opposition from lawmakers, recreation groups, and motorized access advocates.
According to a report by The Hill, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) confirmed the withdrawal of the provision late Saturday, June 28, citing constraints of the budget reconciliation process and a lack of safeguards to prevent foreign ownership of the land.
“Because of the 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 wrote in a post on X. He added that he would work with President Donald Trump to explore future uses for what he described as “underutilized” public lands.
The initial proposal called for selling between 2.2 million and 3.3 million acres of public lands, which was later scaled back to a revised version calling for the sale of between 600,000 and 1.2 million acres. Even the reduced plan drew swift resistance from both parties, with five House Republicans indicating they would oppose the bill if it retained the language regarding the land sale.
The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), along with the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, strongly opposed the measure. Through MIC’s Action Center, powersports enthusiasts sent more than 700 emails to lawmakers within 48 hours urging its rejection.
“This was a serious threat to motorized access and the broader outdoor recreation economy,” says Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president of Government Relations. “We’re pleased with the outcome and grateful to the powersports community for speaking up.”
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a vocal opponent of the measure, called its removal “a major victory for our public lands” and warned against future attempts to pursue similar land transfers.
While the immediate threat has been neutralized, stakeholders say they will remain vigilant as Senator Lee has pledged to continue pursuing land reform proposals through alternative legislative paths.
