During Congress's first day in session, the House amended a rule to make it easier to transfer federal public land to the states.
According to the Washington Post, the House voted to adopt a rule change that would make it easier to transfer federal public land to states.
'House Republicans on Tuesday changed the way Congress calculates the cost of transferring federal lands to the states and other entities, a move that will make it easier for members of the new Congress to cede federal control of public lands.'
With that said, President Elect Donald J. Trump and his nominee for Secretary of Interior, Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke, have publicly opposed the sale of federal land.
'I mean, are they going to sell if they get into a little bit of trouble? And I don't think it's something that should be sold. We have to be great stewards of this land. This is magnificent land.' said President-elect Donald J. Trump.
However, this rule change does not require Presidential approval.
Moreover, according to CBS News loss of access to hunting land is the number one cause of hunter participation dropout.
The primary reasons, experts say, are the loss of hunting land to urbanization plus a perception by many families that they can't afford the time or costs that hunting entails.
Therefore, if Congress is successful, it could wreak havoc on hunter participation.
Let's hope President Elect Donald J. Trump can sway his Republican-controlled Congress to give up this destructive venture.
About the Author: Dominic Aiello is an avid hunter, angler, and wildlife policy expert. He is the President of the Oregon Outdoor Council, Cabela's Prostaff, and Outdoor Writer. Follow his adventures on Instagram @daiello91 or Twitter @HunterInformant.
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