1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m writing to strongly oppose H.R. 1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” particularly the Senate’s reconciliation amendment authored by Senator Mike Lee that mandates the sale of 0.5% to 0.75% of public lands managed by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service—up to 3 million acres across the Western U.S. This proposal is a dangerous and irreversible attack on our public lands. These ecosystems are not “underutilized”—they’re vital to biodiversity, wildlife corridors, rural economies, recreation, and cultural heritage. Selling them off to private developers permanently removes them from public stewardship and hands over irreplaceable landscapes to profit-driven interests. The fact that Montana was quietly exempted from this land grab reveals how politically motivated and unfair the proposal is. If one state is protected, all should be. Public lands should not be for sale—and certainly not used as bargaining chips for political favoritism. In addition to the land-sale provision, H.R. 1 as a whole does not serve the people—it serves the wealthy and well-connected. The bill slashes essential public programs like Medicare, SNAP, and clean-energy tax credits, all while offering billions in tax breaks for corporations and the ultra-wealthy. It also increases the national debt, despite its rhetoric about “fiscal responsibility.” Equally concerning, the bill undermines climate resilience and environmental protections by weakening public land safeguards and green energy investments. These lands are critical buffers against climate disruption, and their loss will have long-lasting impacts on ecosystems, clean air, and water. I urge you to reject H.R. 1 in its current form. Protect our public lands, preserve access and ecosystems, and oppose legislation that prioritizes corporate profits over the well-being of the American people.