In the middle of the night on May 6, a scheme to sell off nearly half a million acres of public BLM and National Forest land to help pay for the extension of Trump’s budget busting billionaire tax cuts was snuck into the “big beautiful bill” and quickly passed by the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources.
There’s the Trump and Republican plan laid bare: Sell off the common heritage of all Americans, our public lands and public access, in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
Both of Montana’s Reps, Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing, have said they are at least disappointed that the provision was passed, but have not outright promised they would vote against the “big beautiful bill” if public land sales are part of it. Zinke has subsequently formed the “Public Lands Caucus” which sounds warm and fuzzy in theory but there’s been no firm commitment so far from the congress persons involved to vote against these specific sales.
Our job at this point is to lean on them and lean on them hard and let them know this is not acceptable. Lean on our two Senators, too. Make the stated disappointment a promise they will not vote for this. If this initial plan to sell off land in Utah and Nevada goes through it will not be long before other states are in the crosshairs, maybe including your own favorite hiking or hunting or fishing spot.
Field & Stream reports on the midnight amendment:
https://www.fieldandstream.com/stories/conservation/public-lands-and-waters/house-passes-public-land-sell-off
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers has more about how to take action:
https://www.backcountryhunters.org/bha_sounds_alarm_mobilizes
KULR8 reports on Zinke and Downing:
https://www.kulr8.com/news/state/republicans-public-lands-sell-zinke-sheehy-daines-downing-disagree/article_cda85bd5-88ad-527c-930e-63f406a4fe21.html
Public lands caucus:
https://dailymontanan.com/2025/05/12/zinke-forms-bipartisan-public-lands-caucus/