Prairie Public Broadcasting

Senate approves massive public lands bill WASHINGTON (KOSU) - Despite the objections of Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, the U.S. Senate has approved a massive bill designating federal wilderness protection in Washington state, creating
heritage areas in Illinois and New York and approving water projects across the country.
The bill, approved 91-4, combines 62 proposals related to public lands from coast to coast. It withstood five amendment proposals from Coburn.
One of those failed amendments was a proposal to allow gun owners to carry loaded, accessible firearms into national parks and wildlife refuges.
Democrats and some Republicans objected, saying Coburn and his GOP allies were trying to score political points by injecting a wedge issue into a noncontroversial bill. Coburn disputed that but eventually agreed to drop the amendment.
Coburn says he has, quote, "a difference in philosophy" from other senators, adding that he will not give up efforts to rein in federal spending. Coburn calls the bill bloated and unnecessary.

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