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Senate committee of the whole rejects resolution demanding transfer of federal lands to Wyoming
Summary
Senate Joint Resolution 2, which demanded that Congress extinguish federal title to most public lands in Wyoming and transfer them to the state, failed after floor debate and a committee-of-the-whole roll call.
Senate Joint Resolution 2, a joint resolution urging Congress to extinguish federal title to certain public lands and subsurface resources in Wyoming, failed a committee-of-the-whole roll-call vote on Feb. 6, 2025.
The measure, which sought to press Congress to ‘‘dispose of the federal title’’ and return lands to state jurisdiction, prompted lengthy floor debate about federal trusts, national parks, split estates and the fiscal and management consequences of any transfer. Supporters framed the resolution as a states’ rights remedy and a way to keep mineral revenues in Wyoming. Opponents warned of the costs and operational burdens of taking over national park maintenance and other responsibilities.
Senator Garou, who represents a district that includes Grand Teton and parts of Yellowstone, urged colleagues to oppose the resolution, saying the parks are “part of our DNA” and detailing the large budgets, maintenance needs and infrastructure that would transfer in a jurisdictional change. He noted Grand Teton alone has millions in annual operating and maintenance expenses and hundreds of facilities that would become the state’s responsibility.
Backers argued that long-term federal retention of title violates Wyoming’s admission terms and pointed to split-estate problems and lost mineral revenue. One supporter noted figures showing nearly half the state’s surface and a majority of its subsurface remain federally held and urged legal and political pressure on Congress. The sponsor also included a new provision offering to negotiate the retention of lands of “national interest,” such as parks, by mutual agreement with federal authorities.
When the committee-of-the-whole vote was called, the chief clerk recorded the result as Senate Joint Resolution 2, 14 aye, 16 no, 1 excused. Under Senate rules cited on the floor, the resolution was therefore deemed indefinitely postponed.
The resolution text instructed the secretary of state to transmit copies to the president and the congressional leadership; the transcript identifies the measure as a policy resolution urging congressional action but does not create state law.
