Senate ruling could save U.S. Forest Service land from being sold [View all]

EVERETT — A Senate official ruled against language in a budget bill that would have allowed the sale of U.S. Forest Service land in Snohomish County.

On June 11, U.S. Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican and chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, released bill text revealing plans to sell millions of acres of federal land as part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill.

In Snohomish County, U.S. Forest Service land, including areas surrounding Gold Mountain, parts of Helena Ridge, areas of Mount Pilchuck and popular hiking trails by Lake 22 and Heather Lake, would have been up for sale.

On Monday, however, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled against Lee’s proposal because doesn’t follow a Senate rule that bars non-budget items from being included in reconciliation bills. The ruling does not decide the merit of the proposal but it blocks Republicans from including it in the budget reconciliation bill, which has dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/senate-ruling-could-save-u-s-forest-service-land-from-being-sold/