Makes it harder to sell federal lands through budget rules.
Senators Bennet, Wyden, Merkley, Heinrich (D-CO, D-OR, D-OR, D-NM)
Introduced in Senate, referred to Budget Committee.
This bill would amend a budget rule to make it more difficult to include provisions for selling or transferring federal public lands in certain legislative processes. Senator Bennet, the lead sponsor, is a Democrat from Colorado. This bill was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on the Budget, where it is currently in the initial stage of the legislative process.
Introduced Apr 30, 2026
This bill was introduced in the Senate on April 30, 2026, by Senator Bennet and co-sponsored by Senators Wyden, Merkley, and Heinrich. It was then referred to the Committee on the Budget. For it to become law, it must pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and then be signed by the President.
The bill would amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. If passed, any provision in a budget reconciliation bill that results in the sale, disposal, or transfer of federal lands would be considered 'extraneous' under the Byrd Rule. This means such provisions could be challenged and removed from these special budget bills, which typically require only a simple majority in the Senate to pass. This change would require any significant sale or transfer of federal lands to likely go through the standard legislative process, demanding broader support to become law.
Supporters Say
Supporters would argue it protects public lands from being sold off through fast-track budget processes.
Critics Say
Critics might argue it hinders efficient land management and limits fiscal policy tools.
Those in favor would likely emphasize that this measure safeguards publicly owned lands, ensuring that major decisions about their future are made through a more open and deliberative legislative process. Opponents might contend that adding land sales to the extraneous list could reduce flexibility in addressing budget priorities or disposing of underutilized federal assets, potentially making land management less efficient.