For ads-free news, click here.
From Fox News: Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee preemptively withdrew a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Saturday evening that would have allowed for the sale of federal lands for development after widespread outrage among his conservative colleagues.
“Over the past several weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to members of the community, local leaders, and stakeholders across the country. While there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation – and in some cases, outright lies – about my bill, many people brought forward sincere concerns,” Lee said in a message posted to his X account on Saturday evening.
Lee, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he pulled the provision after he failed to secure “safeguards to guarantee that these lands would be sold only to American families,” and not to China or corporations. The Senate parliamentarian ruled on Monday that the provision’s original language did not comply with strict rules related to what could be included in reconciliation legislation, with Lee’s office resubmitting the provision with new language before pulling it altogether on Saturday evening.
Lee also wrote in his statement: “I continue to believe the federal government owns far too much land – land it is mismanaging and in many cases ruining for the next generation. Under Democratic presidents, massive swaths of the West are being locked away from the people who live there, with no meaningful recourse.”
“This has real consequences for Utahns – from raising taxes for schools and funding local search-and-rescue operations, to being able to build homes and sustain rural communities,” Lee explained.
Below is his full statement:
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 29, 2025
READ MORE from Fox News.
Mike Lee preemptively drops ‘big beautiful bill’ provision to sell federal lands that riled GOP colleagues https://t.co/Q71JwIEfSH
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 29, 2025
