Hunters and Anglers’ Voices Drive Removal of Public Land Sale Provision from House Budget Bill

In a significant win for conservationists, hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts, a controversial provision that would have authorized the sale of what turned out to be nearly 1.5 million acres of public land in Utah and Nevada was removed from a U.S. House budget reconciliation bill yesterday. 

The provision, added as a last-minute (and late night) amendment by the House Natural Resources Committee earlier this month, during a late-night session, initially appeared to involve the sale of about 11,000 acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service. However, further analysis by the good folks over at onX revealed that the amendment, introduced by Representatives Mark Amodei (R-NV) and Celeste Maloy (R-UT), could have facilitated the sale of up to 1,466,352 acres. The sneaky amendment aimed to fund tax cuts and other budgetary priorities by bypassing established public input processes, such as those required under the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA).

It didn’t take long for the amendment’s inclusion to prompt a swift and robust response from advocacy groups, including Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, the National Wildlife Federation, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Trout Unlimited, and the Outdoor Alliance. These organizations criticized the lack of transparency and the potential precedent the provision could set for future public land sales. Thousands of concerned citizens flooded congressional offices with calls, urging lawmakers to protect these shared resources.

Notably, Republican Representatives Ryan Zinke (MT) and Mike Simpson (ID) publicly opposed the provision, with Zinke describing it as his “San Juan Hill” and emphasizing that public lands are a cornerstone of American identity. The bipartisan opposition, combined with grassroots activism, put significant pressure on the House Rules Committee to reconsider the amendment.

Last night, the House Rules Committee removed the land-sale provision from the budget bill, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” through a “manager’s amendment.” The decision was celebrated as a major victory by public land advocates. 

“This is a testament to the power of public engagement,” said a spokesperson for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “When hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts speak up, Congress listens.”

This is all great news, but we all still need to remember that this budget still needs to pass the Senate without any additional sneaky business - you know, like midnight amendments. Despite the victory, many are continuing to contact their U.S. senators and reminding them that America’s public lands are not for sale.