{"bill":{"id":"119-hr-3872","congress":119,"type":"HR","number":3872,"title":"MERICA Act of 2025","originChamber":"House","introducedDate":"2025-06-10","sponsors":[{"bioguideId":"F000246","fullName":"Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4]","party":"R","state":"TX","district":4}],"cosponsorsCount":2,"latestAction":{"actionDate":"2026-02-12","text":"Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held."},"policyArea":"Energy","subjects":["Alaska","Land transfers","Licensing and registrations","Metals","Mining","Oil and gas"],"actions":[{"date":"2026-02-12","text":"Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.","type":"Committee","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-16","text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-15","text":"Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-15","text":"On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5884)","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-15","text":"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)","type":"Floor","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-15","text":"DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3872.","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-15","text":"Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5884-5885)","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-15","text":"Mr. Stauber moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-10-31","text":"Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 309.","type":"Calendars","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-10-31","text":"Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-357.","type":"Committee","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-10-31","text":"Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-357.","type":"Committee","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-17","text":"Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-17","text":"Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-17","text":"Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-03","text":"Subcommittee Hearings Held","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-07-02","text":"Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-06-10","text":"Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-06-10","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-06-10","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false}],"summary":"<p>This bill specifies that all federally acquired lands are eligible to be considered for&nbsp;hardrock mineral leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (MLAAL). The bill defines the term&nbsp;<em>hardrock mineral</em> to (1) include deposits of minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks, base metals, precious metals,&nbsp;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.</p><p>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&nbsp;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.</p>","updateDate":"2026-03-24T12:48:03Z"},"markets":[],"stateBills":[],"meta":{"sources":["congress.gov"],"latencyMs":434,"ts":"2026-04-15T13:13:15.818Z"},"nextActions":{"inspect":[],"related":[{"description":"Search related legislation","method":"GET","url":"/api/public/query-gov?q=MERICA%20Act%20of%202025"}]}}