(June 28, 2025) Senator Mike Lee’s (R-Utah) proposal to sell up to 3.3 million acres of public lands in 11 Western states for housing development, which sparked outrage among conservationists, hunters, and recreationists, has been defeated. The plan, part of a GOP budget bill, was withdrawn after opposition from Republican lawmakers and public lands advocates, preserving access to lands used for camping, hunting, and hiking.