MERICA Act of 2025
STAGE 4 OF 8 — HOUSE FLOOR
Currently in the House. Last action: committee on energy and natural resources subcommittee on public lands, forests, and mining. hearings held on Feb 12, 2026.
- House Introduced in House Jun 10, 2025
- House Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. Jun 10, 2025
- House Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Jul 2, 2025
- House Subcommittee Hearings Held Sep 3, 2025
- House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged Sep 17, 2025
- House Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held Sep 17, 2025
- House Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent. Sep 17, 2025
- House Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-357. Oct 31, 2025
- House Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 309. Oct 31, 2025
- House Mr. Stauber moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. Dec 15, 2025
- House Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5884-5885) Dec 15, 2025
- House DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3872. Dec 15, 2025
- House 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
- House On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5884) Dec 15, 2025
- House Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. Dec 15, 2025
- Senate Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Dec 16, 2025
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. Feb 12, 2026
Cosponsors
2
Subjects
Committees
- Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Referred To , Dec 16, 2025
- Natural Resources Committee
- Reported By , Oct 31, 2025
- Markup By , Sep 17, 2025
- Discharged from , Sep 17, 2025
- Referred To , Jun 10, 2025
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 as of: Reported to House
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