Merkley, Wyden Introduce New Bill to Block Sale of Federal Public Lands

Merkley, Wyden Introduce New Bill to Block Sale of Federal Public Lands

Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they introduced the Public Lands Integrity Act, new legislation to ensure that America's public lands cannot be sold as part of a fast-tracked process in a budget reconciliation bill.

During consideration of the Republicans' "Big, Ugly Betrayal" budget reconciliation bill that passed in July 2025 on a party-line simple majority vote, Senate Republicans nearly passed a provision to sell one to three million acres of federal public lands to generate revenue all to fund Republicans' tax cuts for billionaires. Merkley and Wyden worked to build strong bipartisan opposition alongside lawmakers, states, counties, and sportsmen's groups across the West. The Senate ultimately abandoned the provision. Today, under current rules, any senator could propose expedited public land sales in a future budget reconciliation bill, and the Public Lands Integrity Act would eliminate that option.

"Oregonians and folks across America are united with a clear message-our public lands are not for sale," said Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee. "These beloved natural treasures belong to all of us, contributing to the spirit and economies of communities all over the United States. As Republicans attempt to rip away public lands from public use, I will fight like hell to protect and preserve our public lands for generations to come."

"Republicans have proved they will stop at nothing to sell off our country's public lands to the highest bidder," said Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. "This bill would help keep public lands in public hands by closing arcane loopholes that allow Republicans to carry out their fantasies of selling our beloved forests and lands off to billionaires."

America's public lands are owned by the public and managed to provide public benefits in perpetuity. This legislation would prevent the sale of federal public lands through expedited Senate procedures under the budget reconciliation process by amending the Congressional Budget Act's (CBA) "Byrd Rule."

The reconciliation process - established under the CBA - allows legislation affecting revenue and spending to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote. To prevent the inclusion of unrelated policy, Congress amended the CBA to include the "Byrd Rule," which makes "extraneous" provisions subject to a point of order and a 3/5th majority vote. The Public Lands Integrity Act would define provisions resulting in the sale, transfer, or disposal of federal public lands as extraneous, making it significantly harder to permanently dispose of public lands that provide long-term benefits to the American people.

Specifically, the Public Lands Integrity Act would:

• Designate any reconciliation provision resulting in the sale or disposal of federal public lands as "extraneous" under the "Byrd Rule";
• Allow any Senator to raise a "Byrd Rule" point of order against the sale of federal public lands in a reconciliation bill; and
• Ensure that decisions about the future of federal public lands are debated through regular legislative order, rather than rushed through expedited and typically partisan budget procedures.

"From the iconic vistas at Crater Lake National Park to the fossil record preserved in the John Day Fossil Beds, Oregonians are proud of the national parks that protect our shared heritage. The wildlife, clean water, and ancient forests that define these places don't stop at park boundaries-they depend on the public lands that surround and sustain them. Decisions about these shared landscapes must not be rushed through a fast-tracked process that cuts out community voices. These public lands belong to all of us, and we deserve transparent, accountable and publicly-grounded decision-making, and the Public Lands Integrity Act would ensure just that," said Colin Deverell, Northwest Region Acting Regional Director, National Parks Conservation Association.

"The Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers thanks Senator Merkley for his leadership on the Public Lands Integrity Act. Oregon's hunters and anglers know that public lands are more than just green, yellow and blue polygons on a map - they are the places that sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations and connect Oregon families to our state's wild lands and waters not as passive observers, but as active participants. This bill helps ensure that decisions about the future of America's public lands, OUR public lands, are made openly and deliberately, not rushed through in a fast-tracked budget reconciliation process," said Ian Isaacson, Co-Chair, Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

"Friends of the Owyhee supports the Public Lands Integrity Act because public lands should not be sold, transferred, or disposed of through rushed budget procedures. These lands are working landscapes, wildlife habitat, grazing country, recreation areas, cultural landscapes, and part of the backbone of rural communities like ours in Malheur County," said Tim Davis, Founder and Executive Director Friends of the Owyhee. "The future of America's public lands deserves daylight, public debate, and regular legislative order. This legislation helps ensure public land sell-off proposals cannot be buried inside fast-tracked budget bills without proper scrutiny. We strongly support this safeguard."

"Oregon's high desert is home to some of the most iconic landscapes in the West, including the John Day River, Owyhee Canyonlands and Steens Mountain. Millions of acres spanning hundreds of miles provide unparallelled habitat for wildlife, stunning natural beauty and expansive recreational opportunities, fueling local economies and sustaining Indigenous communities who have lived in the area since time immemorial. We applaud Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for co-sponsoring the Public Lands Integrity Act to ensure that public lands remain in public ownership for the benefit of all Americans for generations to come," said Ryan Houston, Executive Director, Oregon Natural Desert Association.

"Public lands are part of the heritage and economy of rural communities like Polk County. Decisions about permanently selling those lands deserve full public debate and transparency, not a rushed budget process. Once public lands are sold, they are very difficult to get back," said Jeremey Gordon, Polk County Commissioner.

"In Central Oregon, our public lands are central to our identity. Public lands are beloved across America and across party lines and should never be sold off in pursuit of partisan objectives. As land use advocates, our organization strongly supports the Public Lands Integrity Act," said Ben Gordon, Executive Director, Central Oregon LandWatch.

Public lands are a generational legacy for all Americans - an American birthright - and are part of our identity, culture, and rural economies. Once they are sold and in private hands, they're gone forever. Our public lands provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and abundant opportunities for recreation, fishing, hunting, and solitude for every American, and they are the ancestral homes of our indigenous people. Our system of public lands is the envy of countries across the globe - we owe it to ourselves and future generations to ensure these lands remain in public hands," said Jana Johnson, Executive Director, Deschutes Trails Coalition.

"Public lands are the heart and soul of Oregon. They provide all of us, regardless of status or wealth, with the opportunity to escape the pressures of modern life and be awed by Mount Hood's majesty, thrilled by the Wild Rogue's roaring whitewater, and to find peace and beauty among towering old-growth forests and rugged desert canyons. The Public Lands Integrity Act is an important step forward in preserving America's natural treasures for everyone, forever," said Steve Pedery, Conservation Director, Oregon Wild.

"I am grateful that Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are cosponsoring the Public Lands Integrity Act to protect America's public lands from short sales to fund budget 'crises' caused by the current or future administrations," said Mary Faith Bell, Tillamook County Commissioner. "America's public lands, meant to be held in trust for the benefit of the people in perpetuity, are our collective treasures, and they should be fiercely protected for generations to come."

"Our public lands are exactly that: public, owned by all of us for the benefit of Oregonians, Tribes, and every species living in every ecosystem. These lands are not for private or partisan profit. We at Sierra Club thank and applaud Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for once again fighting to protect the lands that make Oregon the unique and wonderful place we call home," said Damon Motz-Storey, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Oregon

"Selling off public lands to the highest bidder is a terrible idea, and we are pleased to see Senator Merkley co-sponsor the Public Lands Integrity Act, alongside Senator Wyden. Oregon's Senators have been champions for public land conservation and stewardship, and this bill would ensure that Congress makes decisions about public lands in regular order, and not through some expedited budget procedure," said Michael Dotson, Director, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center.

"Public lands are the crown jewel of America and provide habitat for critically imperiled species, clean water for communities, and unparalleled recreation opportunities that drive local economies. Senators Wyden and Merkley's Public Lands Integrity Act must be supported to ensure Congress can't fast track the privatization of our commons to the land barons who seek to maximize profits over all else," said Josh Laughlin, Executive Director, Cascadia Wildlands.

"A proposed provision in H.R. 1 (AKA the "One Big Beautiful Bill") left 22,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service lands within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, including beloved places like Dog Mountain and Eagle Creek, vulnerable to sale. Protecting our public lands is at the heart of what Friends does. The Public Lands Integrity Act is a much-needed solution to protect our federal lands from being sold off for political purposes," said Gabe Sheoships, Executive Director, Friends of the Columbia Gorge.

"Our national parks and public lands reflect our shared history and values. Americans love our 433 national parks, from Gettysburg and the Statue of Liberty to Rocky Mountain and Crater Lake. And for more than a century, Congress has upheld a promise to protect them. We commend Senators Wyden, Merkley, Bennet, and Heinrich for standing up for that promise. America's legacy isn't for sale, and the Public Lands Integrity Act would help ensure these places are protected and preserved as they deserve to be," said Tucker Johnson, Associate Director of Government Affairs for National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).

"America's public lands provide enduring benefits for people and nature, supporting healthy communities, outdoor economies, and wildlife habitat. This proposal helps ensure these lands - held in trust for all Americans - aren't sold off through rushed budget maneuvers," said Tom Cors, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs, The Nature Conservancy.

The Public Lands Integrity Act was led by Colorado's U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and also cosponsored by New Mexico's U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich. The text of the bill is available by clicking HERE. A summary of the bill is available by clicking HERE. Letters of support for the legislation can be found by clicking HERE.

###