Zinke Opposes Senate’s Public Land Sale Clauses

Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke from Montana announced on Thursday that he will vote against the Senate’s GOP Megaville proposal due to its requirement to sell up to 1.2 million acres of public land.

This internal conflict among Republicans regarding public land sales adds another layer of complexity to negotiations, especially since the House Republicans can only lose three votes.

Zinke, who served as Trump’s first-term home secretary, shared his views on social media, saying, “I agree with my colleagues who have mismanaged federal land for decades, but I don’t agree with their solution.”

He firmly stated, “The solution is not to sell public land. I will remain a no on the Senate settlement bill.”

In a CNN interview, which he also shared online, Zinke countered arguments from land supporters who believe that selling these lands could help with affordable housing. “Affordable homes are dozens of acres, not hundreds,” he argued.

Zinke isn’t alone in his opposition. Republican Rep. Cliff Benz from Oregon issued a statement on Wednesday expressing his concerns about the bill.

Benz stated, “I support and encourage the sale or exchange of federal land parcels when there is clear economic or social demand and when proper procedures are followed. However, I do not support the mandatory disposal of millions of acres of federal land.” He emphasized that the goal appears to be to rid federal ownership rather than meet actual demand.

It’s unclear if Benz will vote against the bill based purely on these disagreements.

The original draft from Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) called for the sale of 220.3 million acres of land owned by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). After that was rejected, Lee revised the proposal to require the sale of up to 1.2 million acres of BLM land. However, it remains uncertain if Congress will approve this new version.

Local disagreements regarding this issue further complicate the already challenging internal negotiations, which also involve Medicaid reductions, federal tax credits for high-tax areas, and shifting towards low-carbon energy incentives.

Meanwhile, the White House reportedly expects to see agreements reached by next Friday.