Senator Tim Sheehee from Montana has announced his intention to support the advancement of President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” but he plans to propose an amendment that would remove the measure allowing the sale of public land.
Initially, Sheehee expressed concerns about the bill containing provisions for the sale of millions of acres of public land and indicated he would vote against it. He remarked that if the sale were included, he would publicly oppose the motion.
However, after further discussions, he changed his stance. “I’ve entered into fruitful talks with leadership and will spearhead an amendment to eliminate the sale of public land from this legislation,” he stated. “It’s crucial that we move quickly to get this significant bill passed to support President Trump’s agenda.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged his colleagues to remain optimistic as they prepare for a vote at 4 PM to push the process forward.
The bill contains provisions backed by Senator Mike Lee from Utah, which instructs the Secretary of the Interior to sell a small percentage of public land to help address housing issues in the Western United States.
Interestingly, the part of the bill that mandates the sale of public land seems to exclude Montana, which is not listed among the 11 states affected.
Other Republican senators have voiced varying reasons for their positions on the bill, indicating they might either support it or vote against it. Senators Thom Tillis, Ron Johnson, and Rand Paul have expressed their reservations.
Thune can still advance the bill without support from three members, given that Republicans hold 53 Senate seats.
Tillis told reporters he opposes the bill primarily due to significant cuts to federal Medicaid spending, following a closed meeting with colleagues. He emphasized the need for GOP leaders to revisit the Medicaid changes that were previously approved in the House.
“I cannot support this current version of the bill,” Tillis remarked. “It threatens to cost North Carolina millions in funding, particularly affecting hospitals and rural communities.” He added that this situation would force the state into difficult decisions, possibly eliminating Medicaid coverage for many.
Johnson mentioned that he received a copy of the bill at an early hour and hadn’t had enough time to thoroughly review it, explaining his “no” vote on the motion to proceed. He’s hoping for significant spending cuts to be included, suggesting it should focus on mandatory programs not involving Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.
“I just can’t support the allegations for proceeding today,” Johnson said on a weekend news program, highlighting his lack of time to assess the legislation adequately.
As for Paul, he’s against the bill mainly due to a provision that proposes increasing debt limits by $5 trillion.
Thune reassured his leadership team is aware of where colleagues stand on the legislation and confirmed that they would be voting shortly to address any concerns expressed by Sheehee, Tillis, Johnson, and Paul.
Updated at 4:17 PM
