Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) offered an amendment to S. Con. Res. 11, the Senate version of the FY16 budget, which would authorize the sale, transfer or exchange of federal lands, including wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, national forests, and national memorials to state and local governments. The Murkowski amendment would allow states to take control of some of our nation’s most cherished places and sell them off to private interests for oil and gas drilling, logging, mining, and other development. On March 26, the Senate approved the Murkowski amendment by a vote of 51-49 (Senate roll call vote 106). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. The Murkowski amendment was included in the final Budget Conference Report that was approved by the House on April 30 and the Senate on May 5.