Rep. Celeste Maloy, also a Republican, proposed an amendment to President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ earlier this month that would have put about 11,500 acres of Bureau of Land Management land in fast-growing southwestern Utah up for sale. Maloy said the land could be used to build affordable housing and address water infrastructure concerns in her district.
But Texas Republican Rep. Jodey Arrington, in legislation called a “manager’s amendment,” struck Maloy’s move from the bill Wednesday night.
The newly amended bill then narrowly passed the full House. It now heads to the Senate.
Maloy said in a Thursday afternoon statement that she “worked hard with [her] colleagues in the House and locally elected officials to make sure that the one big, beautiful bill represented the unique needs of Utahns.”
“My lands amendment would have delivered critical relief to fast-growing communities in my district,” she continued. “Ultimately, it was removed from the reconciliation package. I still supported the bill, because it delivers a strong economy that will benefit Utah and the country as a whole. I will continue to fight for Utahns to responsibly manage federal lands that currently landlock our communities and hinder economic growth.”
Of the 35 million acres the federal government manages in Utah, the BLM manages 22.8 million acres.
Read the full report at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.