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Congress Works To Restore
Control of Federal Lands

By Al Colombo

In a nonpartisan attempt to restore the Congress' control of Federal lands, on March 1, 1999, Democrats and Republicans in the House co-sponsored bill H.R. 883, entitled The American Land Sovereignty Protection Act. On May 20, 1999, the bill passed a voice vote in the House.

Now, it's on its way to the Senate, S. 510, The American Land Sovereignty Protection act. Nine senators have co-sponsored the bill and the People need to make their voices heard. You can do that by voicing your support for S. 510 with your Senators. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for each of your senators. Don't let this opportunity slip by to cast your own voice vote with the men and women who can take America's Federal land back.

You can also help by calling Frank Murkowski, Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and urge him to hold hearings on the matter. You can reach him at the same telephone number: 202-224-3121. In addition, call Trent Lott, Majority Leader in the Senate, and tell him that you support S. 510. Ask him to support it as well.

Background

For those require some background, huge portions of Federal land have fallen under the control of the United Nations, by way of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural, Organization (U.N.E.C.O.) by way of the Man in a Biosphere Reserve program and the United States Biosphere Reserve Program.

Altogether, there are 83 desigated sites with many more yet to come on line. The problem with these land designations is that it wrangles control out of the hand of nearby landowners, the State they live in, and the United States Congress. This negates the right of private land owners to fully utilize their property and in many instances it subjects farmers and others to environmental policies and mandates set by the United Nations, many times circumventing those established by local, State, and Federal authorities.

H.R. 883 Objectives:

  1. Restore the power of Congress over international agreements concerning federal lands;
  2. Assure State rights concerning those lands under its jurisdiction,
  3. Assure the right of individual land owners to control usage without restrictions imposed by international agreements,
  4. Protect private interests in real property from diminishement as a result of federal actions designating lands pursuant of international agreements, and
  5. Define a process whereby the federal government can designate lands pursuant to international agreements.

The findings of Congress,
as stated in H.R. 833:

  1. The power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations governing lands belonging to the United States is vested in the Congress under article IV, section 3, of the Constitution.
  2. Some Federal land dsignations made pursuant to international agreements concern land use policies and regulations for lands belonging to the United States which under article IV, section 3, of the Constitution can only be implemented through laws enacted by the Congress.
  3. Some international land designations, such as those under the United States Biosphere Reserve Program and the Man and Biosphere Program of the United Nations Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Organization, operate under independent national committees, such as the United States National Man and Biosphere Committee, which have no legislative directives or authorization from the Congress.
  4. Actions by the United States in making such designations may affect the use and value of nearby or intermixed non-Federal lands.
  5. The sovereignty of the States is a critical component of our Federal system of government and a butwark against the unwise concentration of power.
  6. Private property rights are essential for the protection of freedom.
  7. Actions by the United States to designate lands belonging to the United States pursuant to international agreements in some cases conflict with congrerssional constitutional responsibilities and State sovereign capabilities.
  8. Actions by the President in applying certain international agreements to lands owned by the United States diminishes the authority of the Congress to make rules and regulations respecting these lands.

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