H.R. 1937National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2015

6 recorded actions125 of these members are on the 2026 ballotWhat the measure does Read on Congress.gov

Sponsor: Mark E. Amodei [R-NV-02]
Cosponsors: 48 · 48 Republicans
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Committees: Natural Resources Committee, Judiciary Committee · and 1 more
Latest action: Oct 26, 2015 · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

IntroducedApr 22, 2015
Passed the HouseOct 22, 2015
Passed the SenateNot yet reached
Sent to the PresidentNot yet reached
Became lawNot yet reached

What the measure doesCRS summary

National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2015

TITLE I--DEVELOPMENT OF DOMESTIC SOURCES OF STRATEGIC AND CRITICAL MINERALS

(Sec. 101) Deems a domestic mine that will provide strategic and critical minerals to be an "infrastructure project" as described in Presidential Order "Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects" dated March 22, 2012.

(Sec. 102) Sets forth the responsibilities of the lead agency (federal, state, local, tribal, or Alaska Native Corporation) with responsibility for issuing a mineral exploration or mine permit with respect to project coordination, agency consultation, project proponents, and contractors.

Deems the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to have been satisfied if the lead agency determines that any state or federal agency acting pursuant to state or federal statutory or procedural authorities, has or will address specified factors.

Requires the lead agency, if it cannot make such a determination, and at a project proponent's request, together with cooperating and other agencies involved in the permitting process to enter into an agreement with the project proponent that sets time limits for each part of the permitting process.

Applies this Act to any mineral exploration or mine permit for which an application was submitted before enactment of this Act if the applicant so requests in writing. Requires the lead agency to begin implementing this Act with respect to such application within 30 days after receiving such a request.

Requires the lead agency, with respect to strategic and critical minerals within a federally administered unit of the National Forest System, to: (1) exempt from federal regulations governing Special Areas all areas of identified mineral resources in Land Use Designations (other than Non-Development Land Use Designations); (2) apply such exemption to all additional routes and areas that the agency finds necessary to facilitate the construction, operation, maintenance, and restoration of the areas of the identified mineral resources; and (3) continue to apply such exemptions after approval of the Minerals Plan of Operations for the unit.

(Sec. 103) Declares the priority of the lead agency, in evaluating and issuing any mineral exploration or mine permit, is to maximize mineral resource development while mitigating environmental impacts, so that more of the mineral resource can be brought to the market place.

(Sec. 104) Prescribes the Federal Register notice process for mineral exploration and mining projects. Requires each notice to undergo any required reviews within the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture and to be published in its final form in the Federal Register at least 30 days after its initial preparation, absent any extraordinary circumstance or except as otherwise required by any Act of Congress.

Roll calls on H.R. 19376 roll calls on this measure

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Oct 22, 2015Each bar: ✓ Yea from the bottom, ✕ Nay aboveOct 22, 2015

How every member votedHouse roll call 565

House Oct 22, 2015 · the primary vote

On Passage

National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2015

Passed

254 Yea 177 Nay 3 not voting

Party-line vote 8 of 431 voting members broke with their own party: 8 Democrats.

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How the chamber split

One dot per member. Select a seat or a bar to filter the list.

DemocratsRepublicansFilled: YeaRing: NayGrey: not voting or present

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All members434 members

Democratic188 members

Republican246 members

marks half of the votes cast. A party’s majority is the side most of its voting members took.

Cosponsors48 · 48 Republicans

Signing on is not a vote: a member can cosponsor H.R. 1937 and vote against it. 37 signed when it was filed.

Loading the public record

Who lobbied on H.R. 193710 organizations

Organizations that named H.R. 1937 in a lobbying disclosure. Only those that cited the bill by number appear, so this is a floor, not a full list.

ESSENTIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION (FKA INDUSTRIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION-NORTH AMERI)filed by ESSENTIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION (FKA INDUSTRIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION - NORTH AMERICA)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code · Small Business · Budget/Appropriations · Manufacturing +12 more8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2016Filing

NATIONAL MINING ASSOCIATION

Waste (hazardous/solid/interstate/nuclear) · Energy/Nuclear · Taxation/Internal Revenue Code · Budget/Appropriations +5 more8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2016Filing

HECLA MINING COMPANYfiled by K&L GATES, LLP

Natural Resources7 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2016Filing

NEWMONT MINING COMPANYfiled by HOLLAND & HART LLP

Environment/Superfund · Natural Resources · Budget/Appropriations7 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2016Filing

EARTHJUSTICE

Clean Air and Water (quality) · Natural Resources · Energy/Nuclear · Animals +5 more6 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2016Filing

AMERICAN EXPLORATION & MINING ASSOCIATION

Natural Resources3 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2015Filing

JOHNSON CONTROLS INCfiled by JOHNSON CONTROLS, INC AND AFFILIATESIts PAC: Johnson Controls Inc. PAC

Defense · Taxation/Internal Revenue Code · Energy/Nuclear · Natural Resources +1 more3 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2015Filing

LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERSIts PAC: League of Conservation Voters Action Fund

Environment/Superfund · Government Issues · Natural Resources · Clean Air and Water (quality) +1 more1 filing · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2015Filing

NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

Education · Budget/Appropriations · Energy/Nuclear · Fuel/Gas/Oil +2 more1 filing · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2015Filing

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY

Budget/Appropriations · Energy/Nuclear · Natural Resources1 filing · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2016Filing

45 disclosures name this measure. Retrieved from LDA.gov on 2026-10-05. Senate Office of Public Records cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from LDA.gov.