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Snapshot 3:Fri, Jun 20, 2025 2:48:04 PM GMT last edited by Brian

GOP Senator Proposes Selling 2M+ Acres of Federal Land

GOP Senator Proposes Selling 2M+ Acres of Federal Land

Above: U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) speaks to a staffer during a hearing in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2025. Image copyright: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Selling off0.5% America'sof publicfederal landsland, toa fundtiny taxfraction cutsof forAmerica's thevast wealthylandscape, betrayswould futureraise generationsrevenue and threatensspur placeseconomic where families hunt, fish and recreategrowth. ThisThe schemeplan wouldtargets handunused overland, cherishedexcludes landscapesparks, to developers and createprioritizes dangerousdevelopment-friendly precedentareas. forPrivate moreowners landwould grabs.invest Thesein aren'tthese justparcels, "isolatedunlike parcels"the -government’s they'repoor integralstewardship. partsWith of258 ecosystemsmillion andacres recreationavailable, areasselling that3.3 drivemillion Westernis economiesa andmodest representstep ourto sharedunlock heritagepotential.

Selling 250 million acres of public land will kill America's natural treasures for minimal gain. It's a giveaway to the wealthy, not a housing fix. The revenue also won't offset massive tax cuts. The Republicans proposing it aren't even true conservatives, because if they were, they'd agree with Teddy Roosevelt, who prioritized preserving nature's beauty over short-term profits.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 9% chance that any "Freedom Cities" will be built in the United States on federal land before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


Limited Coverage

This story currently has limited reporting from right-wing sources. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our coverage as additional perspectives become available.

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