E&E Publishing: Democratic senators vow to fight selling federal tracts to pay deficit

Two top Democratic senators today vowed to fight GOP efforts to add amendments to fiscal 2016 budget resolutions calling for the sale of some federal lands to help pay off the nation's budget deficit.

Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Michael Bennet of Colorado said today during a brief teleconference with reporters that they are gearing up for what Bennet called "an assault" on public lands protections, as both the Senate and House work to finalize budget resolutions this week.

Leaders in both chambers have already filed or are expected to file amendments on a number of hot-button public lands issues, and both Heinrich and Bennet said they are concerned about proposals to force the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies to sell off public lands to help pay off the federal budget deficit, which currently stands at about $18 trillion.

"Recently, we've seen as Republicans have suggested that Congress sell off our public lands to pay for the deficit," Heinrich said during the teleconference. "These lands are very much a part of our American heritage and shouldn't be sold off to the highest bidder to pay the bill."

For one thing, Heinrich said, this would result in "a proliferation of locked gates and 'No Trespassing' signs" across public lands in the West "that have been open to the public and used for generations."

"This would devastate outdoor traditions like hunting, camping and fishing that are central to Western culture and a thriving outdoor recreation economy," he said.

Heinrich yesterday filed an amendment that would forbid the Senate from considering "any bill, joint resolution, motion, amendment, amendment between the Houses, or conference report that would provide for the sale of any Federal land ... that uses the proceeds of the sale to reduce the Federal deficit."

Bennet and Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) are co-sponsoring Heinrich's amendment.

"Wilderness areas, national monuments and national parks are a fundamental part of the fabric of our country and of our country's history. It's critical for us to preserve these lands for our kids and grandkids, just as our grandparents preserved them for us," Bennet said during the teleconference. "But based on previous amendments we've seen this year, we're prepared for what might turn out to be an assault on our public lands."

Bennet and Heinrich did not mention any specific proposal or amendment they are targeting, but numerous amendment proposals have been submitted addressing public lands management and environmental regulations.

Hundreds of amendments are expected to be filed this week, though not all will receive votes during the "vote-a-rama" expected tomorrow. Such events typically have senators on the floor into the wee hours of the morning considering amendment after amendment (E&E Daily, March 23).

While the Senate and House budget resolutions that are ultimately approved are nonbinding, they provide a road map for how appropriations committees in the GOP-controlled 114th Congress will handle issues like federal lands management.

Heinrich said during the teleconference that he's also concerned about potential amendments undermining the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allows the president to bypass Congress and designate new national monuments. President Obama has used the act 16 times to establish new national monuments, drawing sharp criticism from GOP leaders, who say it is a prime example of executive overreach.

Among others, Republican Sen. Steven Daines of Montana has introduced an amendment requiring approval from state officials before national monuments are designated (E&E Daily, March 25).

"In my years in the House and the Senate now, I have never witnessed such a comprehensive assault on our public lands as we have seen in the last year or so," Heinrich said.