Sale of Public Lands Blocked in the U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTVZ) -- A proposal to sell millions of acres of federal land, a key element of President Donald Trump's tax reform package, has been blocked in the Senate. Senate officials ruled on June 23 that the provision violated rules governing the budget reconciliation process.

The controversial land sale measure, which was part of broader efforts to reduce federal land holdings, had been included in the Senate Republicans' budget bill. However, the proposal failed to meet the specific requirements for reconciliation legislation, which limits the types of provisions that can be included.

Without the reconciliation pathway, the measure would need 60 votes in the Senate to pass, a threshold that makes its approval highly unlikely.