Oppose White House Budget “Gut-Punch” to American Public Lands

Hunters, Anglers and Montanans Call on Senators Daines and Sheehy to Rally Opposition to White House Budget “Gut-Punch” to American Public Lands

Late last Friday night, The White House released more details of its federal budget proposal, which would devastate American public lands, National Parks, and public land managers across Montana. Among the most significant concerns is the President’s flip-flop on the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was permanently authorized in 2020 by Senator Steve Daines’ Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) and is administered in the state by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The GAOA, which was signed into law by President Trump during his first term, requires funds to be spent on acquiring new public land, rather than being siphoned for maintenance.

Montana Wildlife Federation Executive Director Frank Szollosi issued the following statement:

“We stood shoulder to shoulder with Senator Daines in his fight to permanently authorize LWCF, which has helped fund nearly 800 projects across Montana over the past 60 years. We stood with Senator Daines at Roosevelt Arch to celebrate when President Trump signed the permanent authorization into law in 2020. And we look forward to standing with him again today in opposition to the White House’s gut-punch to Montana hunters, anglers, and communities. The President can’t go back on his word.”

“Take a look at the Blackfoot River. It has $20 million in current pending projects slated for funding that would be lost, as would critical projects along the Rocky Mountain Front and in the Lolo National Forest. These are among the key wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation areas in the queue for LWCF, providing access for sportsmen and women throughout the state and bolstering our local rural economies, protecting Montana’s way of life. If this proposal goes forward, these vital places will be needlessly damaged.”

Per an analysis by the Center for Western Priorities, the White House budget would also be responsible for the following cuts:

National Park Service

• $897 million (34%) from park management

• 5,518 full time equivalent (FTE) positions (40%)

Bureau of Land Management

• $45 million (75%) from national monuments and national conservation areas

• $114 million (77%) from wildlife habitat

• $45 million (67%) from transportation and facilities maintenance

• $45 million (63%) from recreation management

• $156 million (52%) from land resources

• $30 million (53%) from water resources

• $57 million (36%) from resource protection

• 1,157 FTE positions (22%)

Bureau of Indian Affairs

• $140 million (25%) from public safety

National Forest System (U.S. Forest Service)

4,636 FTE positions (33%)