Armed militants took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon earlier this year, claiming that it no longer belonged in national public ownership. Almost half of those accused in the takeover have pleaded guilty to conspiracy, the rest are on or are awaiting trial – but that doesn't mean this fight is over. There's a growing movement in Congress to seize federal lands and hand what could be hundreds of millions of acres over to the states. Much of that land would then be logged, mined, drilled, fracked or used in other ways to benefit private corporations.
The result would be a widespread dismantling of the forests, wildlife refuges, deserts and wildlands that belong to all Americans, lands that provides crucial habitat for wildlife and help ensure we have clean water and air, and places to experience nature, hike, fish, camp and explore.
The upcoming presidential debates are a perfect time to address this issue.
Sign the petition and tell the moderators for the upcoming presidential and vice presidential debates to ask the candidates this critical question:
Question: In the wake of the armed takeover of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon earlier this year, there's a movement in Congress to seize America's public lands and hand hundreds of millions of acres over to the states. In many cases, those lands would then be logged, mined, drilled, fracked or used in other ways to benefit private corporations. Do you support this movement in Congress?
Dear Debate Moderators,
The current movement in Congress to seize America's public lands and hand hundreds of millions of acres over the states puts our country's wildest and most beloved spaces at risk of being logged, mined, drilled, fracked or used in other ways to benefit private corporations. We urge you to address this critical issue during the presidential or vice-presidential debates you will be moderating by asking this question:
"In the wake of the armed takeover of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon earlier this year, there's a movement in Congress to seize America's public lands and hand hundreds of millions of acres over to the states. In many cases, those lands would then be logged, mined, drilled, fracked or used in other ways to benefit private corporations. Do you support this movement in Congress?"
Sincerely,
[Your name]
