Western Caucus Applauds Chairman Taylor’s Efforts to Decrease Federal Land Acquisition


Washington, D.C. – Members of the Congressional Western Caucus reacted positively to news from the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee that federal land acquisition funds would be reduced in the FY 2006 Interior Appropriations bill to $43 million – a reduction of $212 million.

For the fifth year in a row, the subcommittee has proposed decreasing funds allocated for federal land acquisition while increasing funding for the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) program. The subcommittee also calls for a $30 million increase for PILT from the President’s FY 2006 proposed budget. The decrease in land acquisitions closely mirrors the request made in a letter to the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies earlier in the week by the Western Caucus.

Rep. Chris Cannon (UT-03), Chairman of the Western Caucus, said, “While many of the facilities in our national parks and on public lands have millions of dollars in maintenance backlogs, we’ve continued to add land to the national portfolio. This is ludicrous. Before we continue to purchase additional land, I want to make sure all 1,900 counties throughout the nation adequately receive PILT funding for the federal land already in their jurisdiction. I commend Chairman Taylor for opposing additional funding for federal land acquisition.”....

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