Politics
Beloved GOP Senator Under Fire For Push To Convert US Land Into ‘Affordable Housing’
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is facing intense backlash from across the political spectrum over his push to sell off up to 3 million acres of federal land for housing development—a plan critics say opens the door to environmental harm, limited public oversight, and massive land transfers to the highest bidder.
The controversy ignited after Lee inserted a sweeping land-sale provision into budget reconciliation legislation unveiled on June 11. The amendment would require the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to sell 0.5 to 0.75 percent of their holdings—equating to roughly 2 to 3 million acres—for what the senator calls “housing or community development.”
The legislation’s scope spans 11 Western states, including Utah, Arizona, California, and Oregon. According to estimates, the proposal could generate between $5 billion and $10 billion in federal revenue. But critics argue the plan lacks crucial safeguards and opens the floodgates to privatization of public land without adequate public input or environmental review.
Lee attempted to defuse the outrage by stating on X (formerly Twitter) that “None of the places depicted would be eligible for sale under our bill,” referring to photos posted by conservative environmental advocate Benji Backer showing scenic mountain and desert landscapes. Lee said that National Parks, National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, and other protected lands are explicitly exempt.
However, a Community Note added to Lee’s post disputed his claim, pointing to a publicly available ArcGIS database that lists parcels from those same areas as being on the chopping block. The note, rated helpful by users, states: “The senator is incorrect, these areas are listed on the site for sale.”
None of the places depicted would be eligible for sale under our bill.
The legislation specifically exempts National Parks, National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, National Recreation Areas, and eleven other categories of federally protected land from sales to build much-needed… https://t.co/OkkBHGXnHJ
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 16, 2025
That correction poured fuel on the fire, as Backer’s original post—now viewed nearly 2 million times—accused Lee of attempting to “secretly” sell beloved public lands. “Americans across the political spectrum are overwhelmingly against the sale of our beauty,” he wrote.
Environmental groups, tribal leaders, and even some Republicans have joined the opposition. More than 100 conservation organizations signed a June 18 letter urging Senate leadership to strike the land-sale amendment entirely. They warned that the measure lacks affordability mandates, undermines environmental stewardship, and could allow well-funded developers to outbid local communities.
Concern is especially high in California, a state with over 16 million acres deemed “eligible” under the proposal. A report by SFGate warns that lands near Yosemite, Tahoe, and Big Sur could be impacted, potentially eroding recreational access and local ecosystems. Axios also noted that while the proposal theoretically applies to up to 3.3 million acres, only a fraction near urban areas is realistically viable for development, casting doubt on Lee’s stated goals.
With a July 4 deadline looming for the reconciliation package, pressure is mounting on Senate leadership to reconsider. For now, the HOUSES Act—a separate but related proposal—remains in legislative limbo.
