GOP senator 'desperately trying to save plan' Republican colleagues call 'a hard no'

Many of the heated debates over President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" are focused on its draconian cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but another controversial proposal in the U.S. Senate would privatize public lands in western states.

The proposal was introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) in early June. According to Newsweek's Hugh Cameron, the provision "would require the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to make between 0.5 and 0.75 percent of their land holdings in 11 western states available for purchase."

"While this would amount to between two and three million acres," Cameron reports in an article published on June 24, "The Wilderness Society estimates that the language of the provision could make over 250 million acres eligible for sale. The idea has long been a pet interest of Lee, who, last week, defended it against what he called 'falsehoods being circulated by the left.' Lee stated that national parks and monuments would be exempt, and that auctioning off land with 'zero recreational value' was a 'common-sense solution' to the nation's housing shortage."

READ MORE: 'Ridiculous': Critics give Karoline Leavitt a history lesson

Cameron continues, "But criticism has been far-reaching, with opponents arguing that selling off public land could have irreparable environmental consequences, and that any resulting housing developments are unlikely to serve the needs of ordinary Americans."

Some of the criticism of Lee's proposal is coming from the right, including Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana) — who told The New York Times that he remains "a hard no on any bill that includes the large-scale sale of public lands." And according to Punchbowl News' Andrew Desiderio, Lee's proposal is also running into problems in the U.S. Senate.

In a June 23 post on X, formerly Twitter, Desiderio reported, "SCOOP: Huge news for western states. The Senate parliamentarian has ruled that Sen. Mike Lee’s proposal to allow the sale of millions of acres of federal land fails to comply with the Byrd Rule. Montana/Idaho GOP senators have said they oppose it as well. I'm told this decision will be included in the batch of Byrd rulings slated to be released overnight tonight."

Journalist Jamie Dupree, on June 23, tweeted that Lee is "desperately trying to save his plan to sell off big chunks of federal lands in 11 western states."

READ MORE: Former Ohio senator just can’t stop trolling, gaslighting and flip-flopping

Dupree cited a June 23 tweet by Lee as an example of how aggressively he is promoting his proposal.

Lee tweeted, "Housing prices are crushing families and keeping young Americans from living where they grew up. We need to change that. Thanks to YOU — the AMERICAN PEOPLE — here’s what I plan to do: 1. REMOVE ALL Forest Service land. We are NOT selling off our forests. 2. SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE the amount of BLM land in the bill. Only land WITHIN 5 MILES of population centers is eligible. 3. Establish FREEDOM ZONES to ensure these lands benefit AMERICAN FAMILIES. 4. PROTECT our farmers, ranchers, and recreational users. They come first."

Lee added, "Yes, the Byrd Rule limits what can go in the reconciliation bill, but I’m doing everything I can to support President Trump and move this forward. Stay tuned. We’re just getting started."

READ MORE: 'Stable genius': Critics blast Trump’s profane tirade on White House lawn

Read the full Newsweek article at this link.