Republicans approve amendment authorizing federal land sales to fund Trump's tax cuts

House Republicans approved an amendment authorizing the sale of thousands of acres of federal public land in Nevada and Utah, two states where the federal government owns the majority of the land.

The plan aims to raise billions of dollars to help fund U.S. President Donald Trump's massive tax cuts.

The Natural Resources Committee's legislative package aims to raise more than $18 billion through increased sales of federal oil, gas, coal concessions, and timber, as well as other resource sales.

"Committee Republicans took decisive action and advanced our portion of the one big, beautiful reconciliation bill. We're generating more than $18.5 billion in new revenue and savings for the American people by unleashing the United States’ abundant natural resources," said committee chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas).

A spokesman for the committee explained, in statements reported by Politico, that “sales from these small parcels of land will generate significant federal revenue, and have broad local support. It’s a tailored, parochial budgetary measure.”

The final vote was 26 to 17. Most votes followed partisan lines, except for Rep. Adam Gray, a California Democrat, who joined the Republicans in voting in favor.

Meanwhile, Celeste Maloy, a Utah Republican who sponsored the amendment, noted that there are sixty targeted parcels totaling about 10,000 acres in her district.

"The high percentage of federal lands impacts the local government's ability to work on economic and transportation development, manage natural resources and fully take advantage of recreational activities," Maloy said.