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Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, today, I have a simple message for my colleagues in the U.S. Senate: Do not mess with our public lands.
I helped to defeat a provision originally included in the House reconciliation bill that would have provided for public land sales. We got it removed, but now a similar provision has somehow reemerged in the Senate.
I will be very clear: The inclusion of any such provision in the final version of the bill will imperil the entire reconciliation package. Our beautiful public lands are not just national treasures. They are deeply interwoven with our communities. They are essential to the character of our region. They provide jobs and economic activity. They provide recreation and joy, and they are open to all.
Mr. Speaker, I will fight in every way I can to assure that they remain open to all and that the will of our local communities is not subordinated to decisions made in Washington, D.C.
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