Sorry, but IMHO unless the Constitution is amended, it states EXACTLY what the Fed. Gov’t has control...and 80% of the West isn’t one of ‘em.
We have all seen what kind of ‘stewards’ Fedzilla comes down to: out-of-control controlled burns, Super Fund sites (what once was good is now bad = taxpayer $$), porous Southern border (one of the FEW numerated powers, and they can’t get this ONE right)...
Your argument was lost when Jefferson bought Louisiana. I don’t think that anyone is seriously considering giving it back to the French.
Do a quick search on "homestead act" and you'll see about seven or eight Congressional actions.
>> The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ended homesteading; by that time, federal government policy had shifted to retaining control of western public lands. <<
This action needs to be declared unConstitutional and thrown in the trash. Homesteading needs to resume or outright sale of the lands...TO US CITIZENS.