A proposal by Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican, to sell millions of acres of public lands to private housing developers hit the skids late Monday when the Senate parliamentarian ruled it couldn’t be included in President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill.
Why it matters: Lee’s plan would have ordered federal land managers to sell up to about 3.3 million acres of land for housing and infrastructure.
- Lands eligible for sale included some of Utah’s most beloved backcountry destinations for hiking, camping, skiing and more.
Driving the news: The Senate parliamentarian decided Monday night that Lee’s proposal violated rules limiting “extraneous” measures that can be added during budget reconciliation.
- To overcome the ruling, Lee’s plan would require a 60-vote majority.
Catch up quick: Lee’s proposed land sale prompted widespread backlash, including from some Republicans.
- Lee said the land sales would make room for more housing in western states — but the policy language didn’t require homes built on the land to meet any standard for affordability.
The intrigue: Shortly before the parliamentarian’s ruling, Lee posted to X that he planned to make major revisions to the proposal, making national forest land ineligible for sale and “significantly” reducing other lands that would be available.
Hellbound and Down 