SEEC Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force Stands with the American People Who Demand Our Public Lands Are Not For Sale

Washington, D.C. – The Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force Reps. Doris Matsui (CA), Don Beyer (VA), and Maxine Dexter (OR) released the following statement in response to Congressional Republicans’ repeated, but ultimately failed, attempts to sell off our public lands to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.

“Over the past few weeks, Republicans have learned just how unpopular it is with the American people to sell our treasured public lands to fund tax breaks for the richest people in the country. While the specifics changed across the various proposals, at the core of all of them was a crooked scheme to pull off the largest public lands auction in modern American history. With every failed version, we learned just how relentless Republicans are in their desire to trade away our children’s access to the great American outdoors in exchange for short-term profits that go straight into the pockets of billionaires and big polluters. 

“After strong pushback from the American people and even members of their own party, we are breathing a sigh of relief that Senator Mike Lee and Senate Republican leadership conceded defeat on their disastrous plan for Americans’ public lands and cut the measure from the big ugly bill. Nevertheless, this dangerous close call once again demonstrates that we cannot take anything for granted so long as President Trump and this Republican Party are in charge, even things as sacrosanct as our public lands.

“But for today at least, the American people made it clear: our public lands are not for sale. If only Republicans would learn from this public outcry and reconsider the many other destructive and deeply unpopular provisions in their big ugly bill. We urge our counterparts to listen to the families, union workers, business leaders, doctors, faith leaders, and many others who have clearly and repeatedly articulated the massive and unnecessary pain this bill will inflict upon our country.”