The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday advanced a dozen public lands, wildfire and water bills during a markup, but only after it tanked plans to consider nearly a dozen other measures — frustrating Democrats who had expected to see more of their legislation make progress.
Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) did not explain the change to the panel’s agenda. “We’re doing our best to move things forward,” Lee said, noting that many of the bills approved were either sponsored or co-sponsored by Democrats.
But Democrats, including California Sen. Alex Padilla, expressed displeasure. Padilla said he remains concerned by the “frustrating process by which we are seeing public lands bills move through Congress.”
Democrats have complained about Lee’s resistance to a broad public lands package with numerous bills from both parties. The chair would rather pass bills on the floor one by one or in smaller batches.
