Legislation1w ago
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HR8548Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA)
introduced
S3708119th CongressWALLET
MERICA Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Introduced
Summary
Expands the federal mineral leasing framework on lands acquired by the United States to include hardrock minerals. The bill adds a detailed "hardrock mineral" definition and rewrites several terms in the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to bring that expanded scope into the statute.
Show full summary
- Mining and exploration companies gain a clear pathway to lease hardrock deposits on acquired lands. The new definition lists inclusions such as base metals, precious metals, industrial metals, and precious and semi‑precious gemstones.
- Federal land managers and the Secretary of the Interior get updated legal language and a broadened leasing tool to administer hardrock minerals on acquired lands. The bill also inserts a cross‑reference in 30 U.S.C. 352 to add "hardrock minerals" alongside sulfur.
- Operators of coal, oil, gas, salt and other specifically excluded materials keep their current statutory regimes because the hardrock definition expressly excludes coal, oil, oil shale, gas, sodium, potassium, sulfur, and materials governed by the Materials Act of 1947.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New rules for hardrock mining leases
If enacted, this bill would add a new legal definition of “hardrock mineral.” It would list what counts (for example, base metals, precious metals, industrial metals, and gemstones) and would expressly exclude coal, oil, oil shale, gas, sodium, potassium, sulfur, and materials covered by the Materials Act of 1947. The bill would also add “hardrock minerals” to the list of minerals that can be leased on federally acquired lands and would update the Act’s cross-references and the definition of “mineral leasing laws.” These changes would take effect upon enactment and mainly affect companies that explore, lease, or mine on acquired federal lands.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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