Pub. L. 119-85 · H.J.Res. 140 · 119th Congress

Disapproval of Minnesota mineral leasing withdrawal

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN.

Signed into law Apr 27, 2026 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Read the law Congress.gov record

What this law does

Cancels Public Land Order 7917, which blocked mineral and geothermal leasing for 20 years on about 225,504 acres of national forest land in Minnesota.
Allows that land in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, to be leased for mineral and geothermal development.

1 subject in this law: Minnesota mineral leasing

Plain-language list by Voting On, based only on the official summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service and the bill's titles. Read the official summary.

How it became law

IntroducedJan 12, 2026 · House
9 daysPassed HouseJan 21, 2026
85 daysPassed SenateApr 16, 2026
1 dayPresented to the PresidentApr 17, 2026
10 daysSigned into lawApr 27, 2026

105days, introduction to signature

9days to pass the House

85more days to pass the Senate

Nowent back to a chamber after changes

Novetoed

Official summary

This joint resolution opens approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties in Minnesota to mineral and geothermal leasing. Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies Public Land Order 7917, which withdrew such land from mineral and geothermal leasing for 20 years beginning in 2023. The Bureau of Land Management issued the order to protect and preserve the Rainy River Watershed, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area, and the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa from potential adverse effects of mineral and geothermal exploration and development. The joint resolution removes such protections and allows such land to be leased for the exploration and development of minerals and geothermal energy.

Summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Apr 27, 2026).

Who wrote it

Sponsor: Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]

4 cosponsors: 4 Republicans. 0 signed on the day it was introduced, 4 joined later.

Show all cosponsors

Cosponsor	Signed on
Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]	Jan 21, 2026
Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2]	Jan 21, 2026
Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large]	Jan 21, 2026
Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13]	Jan 21, 2026

Recorded votes

Date	Chamber	Vote	Yeas	Nays
Jan 21, 2026	House	On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 208 (Roll no. 38).	214	208
Apr 15, 2026	Senate	Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 49. Record Vote Number: 83.	51	49
Apr 15, 2026	Senate	Motion to table the point of order that the measure is not entitled to expedited procedures under the Congressional Review Act agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 48. Record Vote Number: 82.	51	48
Apr 16, 2026	Senate	Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 49. Record Vote Number: 84.	50	49

What was added

Amendments adopted (0)

No floor amendments were adopted. Any changes were made in committee or in a later version of the bill.

Sections in the final law that were not in the first version (Introduced in House) (0)

None. Every section heading in the final law was already in the first version (Introduced in House).

What was removed

Sections in the first version (Introduced in House) that did not make it into the law (0)

None. Every section heading from the first version (Introduced in House) remains in the law.

Compared by section heading between the Introduced in House text (Jan 12, 2026) and the Enrolled Bill text, both from GovInfo. Wording changes inside a section that kept its heading are not shown here; see the amendments and the text versions.

Proposed but not adopted

No amendments were voted down or withdrawn.

Full action history

Show all 30 official actions

Apr 27, 2026	Signed by President.
Apr 27, 2026	Signed by President.
Apr 27, 2026	Became Public Law No: 119-85.
Apr 27, 2026	Became Public Law No: 119-85.
Apr 17, 2026	Presented to President.
Apr 17, 2026	Presented to President.
Apr 16, 2026	Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1807-1812)
Apr 16, 2026	Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 49. Record Vote Number: 84.
Apr 16, 2026	Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 49. Record Vote Number: 84.
Apr 16, 2026	Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Apr 15, 2026	Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S1779-1780)
Apr 15, 2026	Point of order that the measure is not entitled to expedited procedures under the Congressional Review Act raised in Senate. (CR S1780)
Apr 15, 2026	Motion to table the point of order that the measure is not entitled to expedited procedures under the Congressional Review Act agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 48. Record Vote Number: 82.
Apr 15, 2026	Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 49. Record Vote Number: 83. (CR S1790)
Apr 15, 2026	Measure laid before Senate by motion.
Jan 26, 2026	Received in the Senate, read twice.
Jan 21, 2026	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jan 21, 2026	Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 208 (Roll no. 38). (text: CR H1147)
Jan 21, 2026	On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 208 (Roll no. 38). (text: CR H1147)
Jan 21, 2026	Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1156-1157)
Jan 21, 2026	POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.J. Res. 140, the Chair put the question on passage of the joint resolution and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Huffman demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Jan 21, 2026	The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Jan 21, 2026	DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.J. Res. 140.
Jan 21, 2026	Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6945, H.R. 6359 and H.J. Res. 140. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6945, H.R. 6359, and H.J. Res. 140 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each measure.
Jan 21, 2026	Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1009. (consideration: CR H1147-1155)
Jan 21, 2026	Rule H. Res. 1009 passed House.
Jan 20, 2026	Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1009 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6945, H.R. 6359 and H.J. Res. 140. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6945, H.R. 6359, and H.J. Res. 140 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each measure.
Jan 12, 2026	Introduced in House
Jan 12, 2026	Introduced in House
Jan 12, 2026	Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Sources: Congress.gov (bill record, sponsors, actions, amendments, CRS summary) and GovInfo (official text). Days are calendar days.