INDIANAPOLIS—Former Vice President Mike Pence announced a plan to return a portion of the 1 million square miles of federally held land to state and private ownership.
“The federal government owns roughly 640 million acres of land in this country. It’s 28 percent of the continental United States. I believe that we can preserve our national treasures, and cherish our great heritage and our national parks.
“But I believe the time has come for the United States government to return a portion of these lands back to the states and the American people for development, innovation, and opportunity,” Mr. Pence said at the National Council of State Legislatures Summit on Aug. 16.
The plan is part of a broader agenda to divest the federal government of certain powers that Mr. Pence believes belong to the states through a governing theory called Federalism, which is rooted in the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Republican lawmakers from various states reacted with enthusiasm to Mr. Pence’s message, especially those from Western states, which contain the vast majority of federally owned property.
“It’s a very big issue,” Montana State Rep. Greg Oblander (R-Shepherd) told The Epoch Times. “There are a lot of resources there. There’s a lot of opportunity there. And to me, it’s good for the people in the state of Montana.”
Mr. Oblander added, “I think the federal government should allow the states to use them—not necessarily own them, but to allow the people to get the benefit from them because the lands belong to all people.”
Mr. Pence’s announcement came two weeks after announcing his plan to boost U.S. production of energy in large measure by making it easier to obtain permits to drill for oil and natural gas, including on land owned by the federal government.
An energy policy released by the Pence campaign on Aug. 2 states, “President Pence will not ignore the fact that drilling technology makes it possible for America to lead the world and take advantage of the shale revolution by opening federal lands for leasing.”
Mr. Pence would also lift bans on mining on federal land and speed up the approval process for mining rare earth minerals, according to the statement.
Slashing Federal Agencies
“Whether it would be the education of our children, whether it be public safety, whether it be health care, all that is the jurisdiction of our states and our local communities,” Mr. Pence said.Accordingly, Mr. Pence would abolish the U.S. Department of Education and return all federal education monies to the states for administration.
“Control over the education of children should be vested in the hands of parents working at the local level with their community schools,” according to the Pence campaign website.
“The $24 billion currently spent by bureaucrats will be returned to states with the one restriction that states taking federal dollars must grant children the flexibility to use their tax dollars at the school of their choice—public or parochial.”
Reductions in the scope of federal management of American life would extend to healthcare and highways as well.
“We’re going to repeal all Obamacare mandates and give states the power to implement health care assistance programs to the benefit of their people to reduce the cost of health insurance,” Mr. Pence said, also promising to give control of the federal Transportation Trust Fund over to the states.
The Environmental Protection Agency would also be shuttered, Mr. Pence previously slated, and billions in funding for the hiring of IRS agents over the next decade would be revoked.
Each proposal is part of a plan to return the Republican party and the country to the governing principle of Federalism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of the states over the federal government.
In Mr. Pence’s view, that was the intention of the Framers of the Constitution, embodied in the 10th Amendment, which states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
“As a former governor, I know that states are not subsidiaries of Washington, D.C.
“States are not subordinate departments of the federal government.
GOP Lawmakers React
State lawmakers praised Mr. Pence’s intention, though some voiced quiet reservations about his ability to gain the party’s nomination.“Amazing,” said Washington State Rep. Stephanie Barnard (R-Pasco) told The Epoch Times.
Washington State Sen. Matthew Boehnke (R-Kennewick) added, “Very solid with a lot of the plans. I’m looking forward to seeing what he posted online because that’s moving in the right direction.”
“I think it’s exactly what’s needed at these times. States are functioning far better than the federal government, so let’s return as much power back to them as possible,” Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) told The Epoch Times.
Mr. Huston is a longtime friend and supporter of Mr. Pence.
Some GOP lawmakers voiced support for Mr. Pence’s message but doubt about his ability to gain the party’s nomination.
“I’m real curious how the debate goes next week,” Mr. Oblander said. “I want to see how he’s able to present himself because there are going to be some interesting dynamics with him and Trump both there.”
Montana State Rep. Nelly Nicol (R-Billings) thinks the GOP debate in Milwaukee on Aug. 25 could reveal whether the public is ready to work together or remains in a combative mood.
“I’m interested to see what the people are wanting,” she told The Epoch Times.
“I think Pence attracts people that are a little more laid back. They’re not the people that are going to rallies. They’re the more quiet conservatives,” Ms. Nicol said.
“Number-wise, it does not look good for Pence,” she added.
Former President Donald Trump has an overwhelming lead in opinion polls with 54 percent. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has fallen to 15 percent. Vivek Ramaswamy is at 7 percent, and Mr. Pence at 6 percent.
