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S. 2938: Certainty for States and Tribes Act

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S. 2938: Certainty for States and Tribes Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-05-17 · Energy · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2879-2880)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2016-05-17 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2879-2880) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Certainty for States and Tribes Act

Plain summary

Certainty for States and Tribes Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to reestablish the Royalty Policy Committee, which should include members representing states and Indian tribes who produce minerals on federal or tribal land. In addition, Interior must establish a State and Tribal Resources Board, a subcommittee to the Royalty Policy Committee. The board and committee must advise Interior as it formulates policies and regulations regarding mineral production on federal and tribal lands. The board can delay the issuance of a final regulation by Interior if the board determines that such regulation will have a negative state or Tribal budgetary or economic impact. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must complete by January 15, 2019, its programmatic review of the federal coal leasing program as described in Secretarial Order 3338. Secretarial Order 3338 directed the BLM to prepare a discretionary review of the federal coal program. (Interior issued Secretarial Order 3338 on January 15, 2016.) The moratorium on the issuance of new federal coal leasesby the BLMshall terminate on January 16, 2019.Additionally, the bill allows leases and modifications to be issued by the BLM for any coalleasing application currently under review. Secretarial Order 3338 prohibited approval of such leases and modifications. The bill also directs the BLM toconduct federal coal lease sales and modifications within one year after it completes an analysis of anapplication.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Certainty for States and Tribes Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Barrasso (R-WY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] reported raising $4.8 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-s2938 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114