Sen. Mike Lee’s Public Land Sale Amendment Faces Setback
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — An ambitious amendment by U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) aiming to sell millions of acres of public land in Nevada and other Western states encountered a significant obstacle this week. The Senate Parliamentarian ruled Monday that the proposal would likely breach the Byrd Rule, imposing a 60-vote threshold for passage.
Introduced as part of the "Big, Beautiful Bill," Lee’s amendment followed a similar provision’s removal from the U.S. House version. Democratic lawmakers opposed the plan, with U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) criticizing it for undermining Nevada’s interests. She highlighted concerns over diverted sales proceeds affecting funding for affordable housing, schools, and water conservation in the state.
Conservation groups celebrated the Parliamentarian’s ruling, warning that the amendment could pave the way for privatizing public lands. The Wilderness Society estimated over 250 million acres in the West could be eligible for sale, sparking strong opposition from voters. In response to the ruling, Lee announced plans to modify his amendment, proposing to limit the land under the Bureau of Land Management for sale and exclude U.S. Forest Service land, as he continues to support President Trump’s legislative agenda.
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