Heinrich Commemorates National Public Lands Day, Urges Americans to Continue Speaking Out In Defense of Their Public Lands

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement on National Public Lands Day:

"Our public lands hold our shared identity - they are where we gather, hunt, hike, fish, and mountain bike. These lands hold our collective history and are the anvil on which our nation's character was forged.

"Some of my best memories - whether they are gathering around a campfire or hiking trails with family and friends, are because of public lands. I, and so many others, wouldn't be who we are without our national treasures.

"Just a few months ago, we built a broad coalition of Americans, from Democrats to Republicans to conservationists to hunters, to defeat Donald Trump and Mike Lee's effort to sell our public lands to the highest bidder. Their plan would have put our lands-and our shared identity-behind a 'do not trespass' sign. But we know that fight was only the beginning. Mike Lee has said so himself.

"On this National Public Lands Day, get out and enjoy our national treasures that we fought so hard to protect. And then share that story and use your voice to continue the fight to keep our public lands in public hands."

Earlier this week, Senator Heinrich spoke at a virtual rally, celebrating our public lands. The rally follows Heinrich's successful efforts in Congress to keep public lands in public hands during the reconciliation process and prevent plans to sell off our public lands.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Heinrich successfully fought Senate Republican provisions to sell off public lands in the Big Bad Bill, lead an amendment to prevent the privatization of our public lands, hosted a roundtable and sounded the alarm about New Mexico public lands that were at risk of being sold off by Republicans, continuously uplifted New Mexicans' voices who called his office to raise their concern with Republicans' plan to sell off these lands, and released a statement immediately criticizing Senate Republicans' plan to sell off public lands following the release of the reconciliation text.

Heinrich also secured the resources to complete historic land acquisitions that opened up new public access to New Mexico's Sabinoso Wilderness and secure the addition of the historic L Bar Ranch property to western New Mexico's Marquez Wildlife Area - the greatest additions to protected public land in New Mexico in generations. Additionally, Heinrich played a leading role in securing strong, bipartisan support for the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act in 2019 and the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, two of the most significant pieces of conservation legislation to be signed into law in decades.

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