Sen. Mike Lee Moves to Block Future Restoration of Bears Ears, Conservationists Warn

Senator Mike Lee (R‑Utah) has filed a Government Accountability Office (GAO) opinion in the Congressional Record that conservation groups say could allow him to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to permanently block any future restoration of the original Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah.

What the Filing Does

Lee’s filing states that the original Bears Ears management plan qualifies as a federal "rule." That formal designation starts a 60 U.S. Senate working‑day clock during which Lee can introduce a joint resolution under the CRA to overturn the plan. If the resolution clears Congress and is signed by the president, the CRA would bar federal agencies from issuing any new rule that is "substantially similar" to the one it overturns—potentially preventing future administrations from restoring the monument to its original protections.

Background and Context

The move follows President Trump’s decision two months earlier to shrink Bears Ears by roughly 91 percent, a change that opened large areas to mining, drilling and increased off‑road vehicle use. Lee has pursued similar procedural strategies this year: he previously sought to overturn rules tied to Grand Staircase‑Escalante, and lawmakers used the CRA in April to reverse a mineral withdrawal affecting the Superior National Forest near the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area.

“They’re doing it to make it permanent so nobody can undo their bad policies,” said Land Tawney, co‑chairman of American Hunters and Anglers. “It’s another indication that Mike Lee is hell‑bent on dismantling our public lands policy and in this case the conservation legacy of these very important public lands.”

Practical Implications

Advocates warn that a successful CRA action would not only strip remaining protections but also prevent federal agencies from issuing a similar management plan in the future—effectively locking in current, reduced protections. A recent report found that 16 mining claims have already been staked within Bears Ears’ former boundaries since the monument was reduced; those claims would remain even if a future administration attempted to restore the monument and Lee’s CRA effort failed.

“We saw this the last go‑around,” said Grant Stevens of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, referring to earlier reductions of the monument. “Mining claims were filed then and we’re still dealing with those from last time.”

Public Opinion

Regional polling shows strong support for national monuments. In the 2025 nonpartisan State of the Rockies poll from Colorado College, nearly 90 percent of respondents supported keeping existing monuments, including 81 percent of self‑identified MAGA supporters. Support is also strong among hunting communities, which cite monuments for preserving access to deer and elk habitat and remote backcountry experiences.

What’s next: Lee has the remainder of the 60 working‑day window to introduce a CRA resolution in the Senate. If he does so, the measure would require a simple majority in both chambers and the president’s signature to take effect. Conservation groups say they will continue to press for restoration efforts and to monitor any mining or development activity within the monument’s former boundaries.