Utah Sen. Lee withdraws public land sale provision from GOP tax bill
Senate Democrats have successfully forced a reading of President Trump’s 940-page bill, sparking heated debate among lawmakers. Democratic strategist Theryn Bond and Perspective Strategies Partner Ryan Taylor joined ‘Fox News Live’ to discuss the Senate debate over Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ the probe into Biden’s cognitive decline, and more.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee faced backlash from his conservative colleagues after including a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would allow for the sale of federal lands for development. However, after widespread outrage and concerns about the potential sale of lands to foreign entities or corporations, Lee preemptively withdrew the provision on Saturday evening.
In a statement posted on his social media account, Lee explained that he had listened to community members, local leaders, and stakeholders who raised sincere concerns about the provision. He emphasized that while he believes the U.S. government owns too much land that is often mismanaged, he was unable to secure safeguards to ensure that the lands would only be sold to American families.
The Senate parliamentarian ruled that the original language of the provision did not comply with reconciliation legislation rules, prompting Lee’s office to submit new language before ultimately withdrawing the provision. Despite this setback, Lee reiterated his belief that federal lands are mismanaged and burden taxpayers, particularly in Western states.
Lee’s provision for the sale of federal lands had faced opposition from several Republican lawmakers, including Montana Sen. Steve Daines and Idaho Sen. Jim Risch. They argued that the solution to mismanaged federal lands is not to sell them but to improve their management.
President Donald Trump has been rallying Republican lawmakers to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation that addresses taxes, immigration, energy, defense, and the national debt. Lawmakers are working towards a tight deadline to get the bill to the president’s desk by the 4th of July.
Despite the controversy surrounding the provision for the sale of federal lands, Senate Republicans successfully navigated a procedural hurdle late on Saturday after hours of negotiations. The debate over Trump’s bill continues to be a point of contention among lawmakers, with both Democrats and Republicans voicing their concerns and priorities.
As the legislative process unfolds, it remains to be seen how the final version of Trump’s bill will address the various issues at hand. The ongoing discussions and negotiations highlight the complexities of policymaking and the divergent viewpoints within Congress.
