‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ passes House after provisions removed to sell public lands; Rep. Zinke celebrates ‘protecting what matters most’
EBS STAFF
President Donald Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” to cut taxes on an unprecedented scale included the potential sale of hundreds of thousands of acres of Utah and Nevada public lands, until Montana delegates acted on their promises to voters to protect the open lands that define the West.
U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Montana Republican, stood firm against the public lands provision included in the original bill: “As written, I’m a hard no. It’s a red line to me,” Zinke told Politico in a May 15 interview.
Zinke led an “unrelenting effort” to scrap the public land sale from the bill before it was passed by the U.S. House early Thursday morning, according to a May 21 news release from Zinke’s office. The May 22 vote followed party lines, 215-214.
“This was my San Juan Hill; I do not support the widespread sale or transfer of public lands. Once the land is sold, we will never get it back. God isn’t creating more land,” Zinke stated in the May 21 release. “Public access, sportsmanship, grazing, tourism… our entire Montanan way of life is connected to our public lands. I don’t yield to pressure; I only yield to higher principle. There is a process to making sure that our lands are being used for the best benefit of the people.”
- WATCH: Rep. Zinke sat down for an exclusive interview on the Explore Big Sky with Hoary Marmot podcast.
After public land sale was stripped from the bill, Zinke joined GOP lawmakers in voting to pass the legislation. He celebrated the House-approved bill in a May 22 news release.
“Today I voted to end tax on tips for Montana service workers, lower taxes on Social Security for Montana seniors, and deliver tax relief for ALL Montanans; all while making investments in our national security and safeguarding our public lands,” Zinke stated in the release. He listed benefits of the “bold, decisive” bill, noting that it passed while “protecting what matters most.”
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported May 21 that Montana’s delegation has been “uniquely opposed” to their Republican colleagues in Congress on the topic of public land sale—Reps. Zinke and Troy Downing launched the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus to preserve and defend public lands, and Sens. Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines were the lone Republicans to side with Democrats on a public land protection amendment.
Zinke’s stance against public land sale earned praise from national groups including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.
TRCP President and CEO Joel Pederson stated the Missoula-based organization is “encouraged” by the House’s removal of public land sale provisions.
“Hunters and anglers stepped into the arena to make their voices heard, and members of Congress listened—thank you,” Pederson stated in the May 21 release from Zinke’s office. “In particular, we thank Congressman Zinke for his strident advocacy on behalf of America’s hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreationists. We look forward to working with lawmakers to resolve challenges with public lands management, including housing affordability.”
“Hunters and anglers across America appreciate the efforts of Congressman Zinke and members of the House leadership to keep public lands in public hands,” stated Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “Public lands are the backyard of the little guy, and we appreciate the House keeping it that way.”
Still, concerns surround the current form of the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” The Sierra Club expressed its continued opposition to the bill despite removal of public lands provisions in a May 21 news release.
“While the bill does not include explicit sales of public lands, it still contains numerous provisions offering handouts to corporate polluters, including cutting royalty rates to levels dating to the 1920s, and allowing companies to pay fees in exchange for fast tracking proposed energy projects with minimal environmental review.”
Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, added a statement of continued opposition.
“The American people have spoken loud and clear—our public lands should not be for sale. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle were right to throw this proposal in the trash can, but a bad bill is still a bad bill.”
The polarizing bill will face further scrutiny as it heads to the U.S. Senate.
