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H.R. 3872: To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.

119th Congress · introduced 2025-06-10 · Energy · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 669.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.

Plain summary

This bill specifies that all federally acquired lands are eligible to be considered for hardrock mineral leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (MLAAL). The bill defines the term hardrock mineral to (1) include deposits of minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks, base metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, and precious and semi-precious gemstones; and (2) exclude deposits of coal, oil, oil shale, gas, sodium, potassium, sulfur, or mineral materials subject to disposition under the Materials Act of 1947. By way of background, hardrock minerals are not currently listed under the MLAAL as deposits subject to a lease, while mineral resources such as coal, phosphate, oil, gas, gilsonite, and sulfur are listed. As a result, federal lands may be leased for mining hardrock minerals only if the federal lands were acquired under a statute, such as the Weeks Act, that specifically authorizes the land to be used for hardrock mineral leasing.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to 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 Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4] · 2 cosponsors

Money: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3872, an act to amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that act applicable to hardrock minerals (2026-09-02) No linked contracts or vendors yet.

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).
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-hr3872 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills