Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) have proposed an amendment as part of the Budget Reconciliation process that would sell off 40 percent of all public lands. The amendment authorizes the sale of 258 million acres of BLM and National Forest land across 10 western states and Alaska. This bill includes a process for selling off tracts of public lands within 30 to 60 days without hearings, debates or public input to raise objections. The Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture have the power to choose the acreages to be sold. The sell off can include over 21 million acres of Forest Service and BLM land in Idaho, more than 18 million acres in Utah, 33 million acres in Nevada, nearly 15 million acres in Wyoming and 22 million acres in Oregon. Not so surprisingly, Senator Daines has temporarily spared Montana since he pledged to protect public lands. However, it is hard to trust him when he only protects public lands in his home state. Will Montana be on the chopping block if he gets through the next election?
Why are Senators Daines and Lee proposing to sell so much of our public land? Their amendment is to enable Republicans to pass a budget reconciliation bill. Over the next 10 years, according to the Wharton Budget model, this bill will give 4.4 trillion dollars to the wealthiest 10 percent. It also adds 3.8 to 5 trillion dollars to the national debt. To partially pay for these tax cuts, the bill will decimate Medicaid leaving 13 million uninsured, take food assistance from millions of low-income families, abolish foreign aid to starving children, and sell up to 40 percent of our public lands. Tell Senator Daines to support public lands and withdraw this disastrous amendment.
Carol & John Santa
Kalispell