Susan Calt Office Manager | New Mexico Wildlife Federation
New Mexico's congressional delegation, consisting entirely of Democrats, stands united against a proposed measure to dispose of federal lands. However, with the Republican majority in both houses of Congress, the outcome remains uncertain as only a few Republicans have publicly opposed the measure.
Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., co-chairs the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus in the House alongside Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who served as Secretary of Interior during Trump's first term. Vasquez, previously affiliated with the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and an advocate for federal land protection, views this proposal as a potential start to broader efforts to sell off federal lands across the West.
“Amidst the partisan fights that are happening in Washington, public lands is a place where we can still work across the aisle," Vasquez stated. He emphasized the importance of stopping federal land sales and transfers.
Zinke aims to introduce language into a tax cut, energy, and national security bill before it reaches the House Rules Committee on Wednesday morning. The incorporation of his changes remains uncertain as Republicans seek consensus within their caucus.
In Nevada, Democrats are actively opposing plans to sell federal lands in their state. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., has introduced an amendment to remove Southern Nevada public land sales from a budget reconciliation bill. “This Republican budget includes a massive land grab in Southern Nevada to pay for tax breaks for the rich,” Titus remarked.
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation also opposes selling federal lands for budget balancing purposes. Jesse Deubel, NMWF Executive Director, highlighted Aldo Leopold's foundational role in advocating for wilderness conservation over a century ago. “Failure is not an option when it comes to preserving our federal lands for future generations,” Deubel asserted.
Deubel urged hunters and anglers nationwide to contact their representatives about opposing public land disposal proposals. “People come to New Mexico to hunt and fish... precisely because of our public lands,” he said.
