What Needs to Happen Moving Forward

Public Lands Council Executive Director Ethan Lane continues our conversation about what will be happening in D.C. in coming months.

Lane: "First things first, the new administration has to make something like 4,000 appointments 1,200 of those are confirmable by the U.S. Senate. It is a Herculean task and especially after an eight-year Democratic administration switching gears to a Republican administration. We want to make sure that people get into those roles that understand the challenges that are facing the industry. Understand ag and understand resource issues and can make some changes and get some of these things repealed and rolled back that have been federal overreach and get some responsible management in. So we are looking forward to participate in the process and making sure that the cattlemen's voices are heard in that process. Once those teams are in place, we will start making lists and working on priorities. Getting back to the business of helping legislators on Capitol Hill make good decisions for the industry."

Lane continues by urging the President to stop designating national monuments between now and the end of the year.

Lane: "That is just not responsible course of action. I think the country has spoken. And given what we have seen in elections across the country, voters — especially across the West — are not happy with this kind of abuse of the Antiquities Act. So we hope the President is done using that. He has used it more than any other president. We are over 500 million acres of land and water designated in this administration. He is done enough it is time to put it away."