HR 3872 ยท MERICA Act of 2025
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
- Introduced
- Jun 10, 2025
- Latest action
- Feb 12, 2026
- Sponsor
- Rep. Pat Fallon [R-TX-4]
- Policy area
- Energy
- Cosponsors
- 2
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.
Recent actions
- Feb 12, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
- Dec 16, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Dec 15, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Dec 15, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5884)
- Dec 15, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5884)
- Dec 15, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3872.
- Dec 15, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5884-5885)
- Dec 15, 2025 Mr. Stauber moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Votes
No recorded votes are available for this bill.