[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4090 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4090
To codify certain provisions of certain Executive Orders relating to
domestic mining and hardrock mineral resources, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 23, 2025
Mr. Stauber introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To codify certain provisions of certain Executive Orders relating to
domestic mining and hardrock mineral resources, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to establish the position of
the United States as the leading producer of hardrock minerals,
including rare earth minerals, which will--
(1) create jobs and prosperity at home;
(2) strengthen supply chains for the United States and the
allies of the United States;
(3) safeguard the national Security of the United States;
and
(4) reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial
states.
SEC. 2. ANALYZING ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF MINERAL NET IMPORT RELIANCE.
(a) Cost of Net Import Reliance.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate--
(1) for each mineral commodity included in the document
published by the United States Geological Survey titled
``Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025'' (Version 1.2; March 2025)
for which the United States is reliant on imports, the dollar
value associated with such reliance; and
(2) the overall impact on the economy of the United States
of imports and exports of mineral commodities listed in the
document published by the United States Geological Survey
titled ``Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025'' (Version 1.2; March
2025) for which the United States is reliant on imports.
(b) Subsequent Inclusion.--Beginning in 2026, the Secretary, acting
through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall
include in each Mineral Commodity Summaries published by the United
States Geological Survey the information described in paragraphs (1)
and (2) of subsection (a).
SEC. 3. PRIORITY PROJECTS.
(a) Project Identification.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 10 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture,
shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a list of each mining project on
Federal land for which a plan of operations, a permit
application, or other application for approval has been
submitted to the Department of the Interior.
(2) Approval of certain projects.--Not later than 10 days
after the date on which the Secretary submits the list required
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, in consultation with
the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to each mining
project included on the list--
(A) identify each priority mining project for which
the Secretary can immediately approve or issue each
plan of operations, permit application, and other
application for approval submitted to the Department of
the Interior; and
(B) take all necessary and appropriate actions to
expedite and approve or issue each such plan of
operations, permit application, and other application
for approval.
(b) Identification of Potential Hardrock Mineral and Byproduct
Production.--Not later than 10 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Agriculture, shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a list of each mining project on Federal land,
whether active, inactive, or proposed, that has the potential to--
(1) increase production of hardrock minerals or the
byproducts of hardrock minerals;
(2) expand operations to include the byproducts of hardrock
minerals; or
(3) produce hardrock minerals from mine tailings.
SEC. 4. MINING POTENTIAL ON FEDERAL LAND.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall identify all Federal land
managed by the Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture, which may be
leased for the exploration, development, or production of hardrock
minerals or is open to location under the Act of May 10, 1872 (commonly
known as the Mining Law of 1872), where--
(1) hardrock mineral exploration is being conducted;
(2) the Secretary, in consultation with the United States
Geological Survey, determines hardrock minerals may be present
but where thorough exploration has not been conducted; or
(3) known economically recoverable hardrock minerals are
present.
(b) Priority.--In identifying Federal land under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall prioritize identifying Federal land on which the
exploration, construction, or operation of a mining project--
(1) can most quickly be fully permitted and operational;
and
(2) would have the greatest potential effect on the
robustness of the domestic mineral supply chain.
(c) Submission of List.--The Secretary shall annually submit to the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a list of all
Federal land identified under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. REGULATORY REVIEW.
(a) Identifying Burdensome Federal Regulations.--Not later than 90
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in
consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall--
(1) review all existing regulations, orders, guidance
documents, policies, settlements, consent orders, public land
withdrawals, and any other agency actions within the
jurisdiction of the Secretary (in this section referred to
collectively as ``agency action'') to identify each agency
action that imposes an undue burden on the exploration,
identification, development, or operation of domestic mining
projects;
(2) solicit industry feedback on regulatory bottlenecks and
recommended strategies to expedite approval of mining projects
on Federal land; and
(3) begin implementing an action plan--
(A) to implement industry feedback received
pursuant to paragraph (2); and
(B) suspend, revise, or rescind, as applicable,
each agency action identified as unduly burdensome
under paragraph (1) as expeditiously as possible.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Agriculture, shall submit to Congress a report including--
(1) recommendations for changes to law in effect as of the
date of the enactment of this Act necessary to accomplish the
policy described in section 1; and
(2) a nationwide review of State and local statutes,
regulations, and ordinances the Secretary determines impede
development of domestic mining and mineral exploration
projects.
SEC. 6. MAP BABY MAP.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall prioritize efforts to
accelerate the ongoing, detailed geologic mapping of the United States,
with a focus on mapping previously unknown deposits of hardrock
minerals.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report regarding the progress and
estimated completion date of the comprehensive national modern surface
and subsurface mapping and data integration effort of the Department of
the Interior described in section 40201 of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 311).
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
(A) National Forest System land;
(B) public lands; and
(C) any land that may be leased for the
exploration, development, or production of hardrock
minerals.
(2) Hardrock mineral.--The term ``hardrock mineral''--
(A) includes deposits of--
(i) minerals found in sedimentary or other
rocks;
(ii) base metals;
(iii) precious metals;
(iv) industrial metals; and
(v) precious and semi-precious gemstones;
and
(B) does not include deposits of--
(i) coal;
(ii) oil;
(iii) oil shale;
(iv) gas;
(v) sodium;
(vi) potassium;
(vii) sulfur; or
(viii) mineral materials subject to
disposition under the Act of July 31, 1947,
commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30
U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
(3) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the
meaning given the term in section 103 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
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