Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on six bills aimed at improving access to critical minerals resources, codifying President Trump's Executive Orders (EOs) and supporting domestic energy development. Subcommittee Chair Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) issued the following statement in response:

"While the United States is blessed with an abundance of natural resources capable of securing our mineral and energy future, our burdensome permitting process and restrictive policies implemented by previous anti-mining administrations have left these critical resources untapped. During today’s hearing, we examined six bills that will help this nation achieve mineral and energy dominance and support President Trump’s domestic mining agenda. These bills codify many of President Trump’s executive orders that support mining, as well as open federal lands for production and provide the certainty necessary for good projects to move forward. As President Trump continues to champion American mining, Congress must act as a partner in that effort, which is why I remain committed to advancing these bills through Congress."

Background

H.R. 280, the Combating Obstruction Against Leasing (COAL) Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), will create certainty in the leasing process for any coal lease application that has already commenced under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The bill also codifies key aspects of President Trump's EO 14261, "Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241," by nullifying the Biden administration's moratorium on new federal coal leases.

H.R. 1366, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), restores the longstanding certainty needed for mine operations across the nation, empowering domestic mining to meet the extraordinary mineral demand required for manufacturing, energy, infrastructure and national security. This bill addresses the misguided 2022 ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, known as the “Rosemont Decision,” which uprooted decades of regulatory and legal precedent related to ancillary uses necessary for mineral development.

H.R. 3872, the Mineral Extraction for Renewable Industry and Critical Applications (MERICA)Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), will amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to clarify that all federally acquired lands are eligible to be considered for hardrock mineral leasing. It also supports President Trump's EO 14241, "Immediate Measures to Increase Mineral Production."

H.R. 4018,introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), will direct the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other federal agencies to accelerate leasing and permitting of seabed mineral projects on the Outer Continental Shelf and identify critical minerals recoverable from those resources. The bill also codifies elements of President Trump's EO 14285, "Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources," that fall within the committee's jurisdiction.

H.R. 4068, the Streamlining NEPA for Coal Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.),will allow the full use of categorical exclusions supporting coal production. It also codifies key aspects of President Trump's EO 14261, "Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241," by identifying current and potential categorical exclusions to expand the production and export of coal.

H.R. 4090, introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), will address legal and regulatory bottlenecks to domestic mining by directing DOI to revise or rescind agency actions that hinder mining projects, recommend changes to streamline current mining laws and conduct a nationwide review of state and local laws impeding mineral exploration and development. It will also codify key parts of President Trump's EO 14154, "Unleashing American Energy," EO 14241, "Immediate Measures to Increase Mineral Production," and EO 14272, "Ensuring National Security and Economic Resilience Through Section 232 Action on Processed Critical Minerals and Derivative Products."