Utah Sen. Mike Lee withdrew his controversial proposal to sell millions of acres of public land on Saturday evening, removing a provision from the Republican budget reconciliation bill that had sparked fierce opposition from conservationists, outdoor recreation groups, and members of his own party.
Lee cited his inability to secure "clear, enforceable safeguards to guarantee that these lands would be sold only to American families—not to China, not to BlackRock, and not to any foreign interests" as the reason for pulling the measure from President Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill".
The Utah Republican had repeatedly revised his proposal in recent weeks as criticism mounted. His original plan would have required the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of federal land across 11 western states1. After the Senate Parliamentarian ruled the measure violated budget reconciliation rules, Lee scaled it back to 1.2 million acres of Bureau of Land Management property within five miles of population centers, removing Forest Service lands entirely23.
The proposal faced opposition from an unusual coalition spanning the political spectrum. Montana and Idaho senators threatened to strip the provision, while five House Republicans indicated they would vote against the entire budget bill if Lee's language remained45. Conservative voices online, including Christopher Rufo and Mike Solana, criticized the plan, with Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita acknowledging that "many of these arguments are valid"6.
Scott Braden, executive director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said the "nationwide, bipartisan backlash" demonstrated how "universally unpopular" Lee's idea was7. Conservation groups organized letter-writing campaigns and town halls, with over 500 Utahns gathering at a Salt Lake City coffee shop to express opposition8.
Lee's retreat removes a major obstacle for Senate Republican leadership attempting to pass the reconciliation package, which includes tax cuts, energy provisions, and border security measures1. The bill requires only a simple majority to pass, but Republicans hold just a three-seat advantage in both chambers2.
According to Outdoor Life, Senate leaders gave Lee the opportunity to withdraw his provision knowing it faced "certain defeat" even in the Republican-majority Senate2. The magazine reported that the roster of Republicans quietly opposing the measure "was large and growing."
Lee maintained Saturday that he still believes the federal government "owns and is mismanaging too much land" and plans to work with Trump to "put underutilized federal land to work for American families"3.
Chris Wood, president of Trout Unlimited, celebrated the provision's removal, calling public lands "the cornerstone of our conservation legacy"4.
