H.R. 785: To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

H.R. 785: To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

112th Congress · introduced 2011-02-17 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-02-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Subcommittee Hearings Held. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

Plain summary

Amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, with respect to the allocation of surface mining reclamation funds to states and Indian tribes, to authorize uncertified states and Indian tribes to use certain unexpended and unappropriated balance amounts for: (1) acid mine drainage abatement and treatment, and (2) noncoal abandoned mine land reclamation. Modifies limitations placed upon the allocation of such surface mining reclamation funds to provide for payments for filling voids and sealing tunnels and entryways of noncoal mines as well as coal mines. ("Uncertified states and Indian tribes" are those which have not certified to the Secretary of the Interior completion of their abandoned coal mine reclamation work.)

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr785.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr785 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112