Republicans in Congress are again pushing to sell off millions of acres of public land as part of the GOP’s tax cut and spending bill.

A draft budget from the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, led by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), calls for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service to sell between two and three million acres over the next five years. Land in every western state except Montana would be eligible for sale under the proposal. There has been zero public input, and loophole that could allow for more expansive and exclusive development. The bill also exempts from sale, including “just for show” categories, such as national parks, that are not even managed by the U.S. Forest Service or BLM. But well-loved recreation spots, popular areas for hunting and fishing, prime wildlife habitat, and even sacred or historic sites could be privatized if the bill becomes law. 

Join Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada, as we examine the affects that the One Big Beautiful Bill might have on the State of Nevada.

Are you concerned about Public Lands being sold?

Have you thought about what will happen if hospitals in some of our rural areas are forced close?

Did you know 1 in 6 Nevadans use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?

These are just some of the concerns about One Big Beautiful Bill that LEAN will examine this next week. Join us!

Contact your senators to ask them to oppose funding for mass detentions and deportations in the  “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.”

Right now, senators are considering the sprawling budget reconciliation bill known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act”, which would:

• Add nearly $120 billion to existing border security and immigration enforcement funding, dramatically increasing funding for detentions and deportations;
• Limit asylum to those who can pay for it by imposing a $1,000 fee to seek asylum and $550 fee for asylum-seekers’ work authorizations, prohibitive fees for those seeking safety and self-sufficiency; and
• Restrict immigrants’ already-limited access to hunger and healthcare programs, including U.S. citizens and individuals who hold legal immigration status and pay taxes to support these social service programs. 

The ELCA social policy resolution “Toward Just, Compassionate, and Humane Immigration Reform” states that “hospitality for the uprooted is a way to live out the biblical call to love the neighbor in response to God’s love in Jesus Christ.” This hospitality does not just help the vulnerable, it benefits the entire community.

Note: For more detailed information on the Bill, see a section by section summary of “Immigration and Law Enforcement Matters” and the similar House bill language pertaining to immigration provisions.

This legislative session saw a record 87 vetoes, but the work for justice is far from over. Many of these bills aligned closely with ELCA social teachings, including protections for tenants, stronger gun safety laws, expanded voter access, and affirmations of reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare.

Among the vetoed bills were efforts to:

• Curb medical debt and predatory pricing (Economic Life, 1999)
• Protect immigrant students and honor cultural diversity (Immigration, 1998; Race, Ethnicity & Culture, 1993)
• Expand paid family leave and housing stability (Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All)
• Reduce gun violence and protect election integrity (Community Violence, 1994; Government & Civic Engagement, 2020)

As Lutherans, we are called to love our neighbor through public witness. LEAN and our partners will continue this work during the legislative interim—educating, organizing, and preparing to lift up these values again in 2027.

Consumer Protection & Economic Justice

Relevant Bills:

• AB 44 (Price manipulation ban)
• AB 204 (Medical debt reform)
• AB 223 / AB 201 / AB 280 / AB 283 (Tenant protections)

Voter Engagement

Relevant Bills:

• AB 306 / AB 499 / AB 534 / AB 496 (Election access and transparency)

Healthcare Access & Reproductive Justic

Relevant Bills:

• SB 171 / SB 217 (Reproductive and gender-affirming care protections)

Youth & Education Justice

Relevant Bills:

• AB 217 / AB 397 / AB 416 (Protecting students from ICE, increasing access for homeless youth, free expression in schools)

Racial Justice & Historical Accountability

Relevant Bills:

• AB 328 (Racial Equity Commission)
• AB 209 (Trafficking victim protections)

Worker Rights & Family Support

Relevant Bills:

• AB 388 (Expanded paid family leave)

 Gun Violence Prevention

Relevant Bills:

• AB 105 / AB 245 / SB 89 / SB 156

Cultural Recognition & Inclusion

Relevant Bills:

• AB 82 / AB 98 / AB 144 / AB 278 (Recognizing Diwali, Eid, Vesak, Dolores Huerta, Indigenous Peoples Day, Muslim Heritage Month)