Oppose Data Centers On Public Lands: Support S. 5658 / HR 9939

I am writing to urge your support for S. 5658 and H.R. 9939, legislation that protects federal public lands from being transferred to private corporations for data center development without proper congressional oversight. The current administration's effort to bypass traditional legislative channels and utilize budget reconciliation to fast-track these transfers represents an unacceptable expansion of executive power. Budget reconciliation is a fiscal tool intended for tax and spending matters—not for the permanent disposal of millions of acres of federal assets. By classifying these transfers as extraneous under the Byrd Rule, S. 5658 and H.R. 9939 restore Congress's proper constitutional role. These bills ensure that any sale or transfer of federal property undergoes a transparent, bipartisan legislative process rather than being rushed through via administrative shortcut. Beyond governance, these proposals raise serious sustainability questions. Co-locating data centers with nuclear power in the American West, as has recently been proposed, ignores a fundamental challenge: water scarcity. Nuclear reactors require vast amounts of water to work, even over and above that required by data centers normally. This sets up direct conflicts with agricultural operations and established water rights. Supporting these projects risks destabilizing rural economies and creating long-term resource dependencies that could eventually require federal intervention or subsidies. Federal lands are a national asset held in trust for all Americans. They should not be handed over to private tech interests through opaque processes or administrative shortcuts. We must also be cautious about endorsing industrial expansions that threaten the water security of the American interior. I respectfully ask that you co-sponsor and vote in favor of S. 5658 and H.R. 9939. Supporting this legislation is a matter of both fiscal responsibility and sound stewardship of our public resources.