H.R. 3872 Passed the House Energy

MERICA Act of 2025

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

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4] Introduced June 10, 2025 Cosponsors 2 (2 R) Latest action September 17, 2026

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.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Actions

  1. Sep 17, 2026 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 669.
  2. Sep 17, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. Without written report.
  3. Jun 10, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
  4. Feb 12, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
  5. Dec 16, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  6. Dec 15, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  7. Dec 15, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5884)
  8. Dec 15, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3872.
  9. Dec 15, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5884-5885)
  10. Dec 15, 2025 Mr. Stauber moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  11. Oct 31, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 309.
  12. Oct 31, 2025 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-357.

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