Interior secretary defends FY2026 cuts, proposes new wildland fire service and land-sales for housing; Democrats warn of risks to parks, science and tribes

Secretary Doug Burgum, the U.S. secretary of the interior, appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to defend President Trump’s fiscal 2026 budget request and outline policy changes the department would pursue if the plan is enacted.

The administration’s request calls for roughly $14.4 billion in current authority for the Interior Department and includes deep cuts to agency programs alongside structural changes, including creation of a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service and a program to identify and dispose of some low-value federal lands near cities to help address housing shortages. "The department oversees onshore and offshore energy resources, honors federal trust responsibilities with our tribal neighbors, delivers water to the West, oversees wildlife refuges and national parks," Secretary Burgum told the committee in his opening remarks.

Why it matters: The committee’s Democratic members said the scale of proposed reductions — which they summarized as 30% across Interior operations and steep cuts to individual bureaus — would undermine visitor services, scientific monitoring, tribal services and water infrastructure. "This budget request will not resource your department to responsibly steward our lands and waters," said Senator Martin Heinrich, the committee’s ranking member.

Most important facts

- Budget request and scale: The administration requests $14.4 billion in current authority for the Department of the Interior for fiscal 2026; committee members noted the…