Auctoritas

<p>On <b>Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 2:15 p.m., </b>in room 1334 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, will hold an oversight hearing titled <i>“Deep Dive: Examining the Regulatory and Statutory Barriers to Deep Sea Mining.”</i></p> The hearing notice, memo and witness testimony can be found on the committee’s repository&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118830">here</a>.

Status: Scheduled

<p>On <b>Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., </b>in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold an oversight&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;titled <i>“America First: U.S. Leadership &amp; National Security in International Conservation.”</i></p> The hearing notice, memo and witness testimony can be found on the committee’s repository&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118774">here</a>.

Status: Scheduled

On <b>Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., </b>in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold an oversight hearing titled<i> “EXPLORE America250: Celebrating One Year of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act.”&nbsp;</i>

Status: Scheduled

<p>On <b>Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., </b>in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:</p> <ul> <li><b>H.R. 926 (Rep. Cohen), </b><i>“Fort Pillow National Battlefield Park Study Act”</i></li> <li><b>H.R. 3922 (Rep. Neguse), </b><i>“Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act”</i></li> <li><b>H.R. 4038 (Rep. Kim of CA), </b><i>“Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act of 2025”</i></li> <li><b>H.R. 4684 (Rep. Kennedy of UT), </b><i>“Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2025”</i></li> <li><b>H.R. 6300 (Rep. Hageman), </b><i>“Grasslands Grazing Act of 2025”</i></li> </ul>

&nbsp;On <b>Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., </b>in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled<i> “Implementation of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024.”<br /> <br /> </i>The hearing notice, memo and witness testimony can be found on the committee’s repository&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118822">here</a>.

Status: Scheduled

<p>Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on five bills that standardize wildfire response times, support local acts of patriotism, and aid America’s ranchers. Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) issued the following statement in response:</p> <p><i>“<em>Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands heard legislation that honors the life and legacy of our late friend and colleague Representative Doug LaMalfa. We will continue his fight to protect America’s beautiful federal lands and rural communities by empowering commonsense wildfire management, improving Forest Service response, and limiting burdensome red tape.</em>”</i></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Background</strong></p> <p><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4038__;!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!klXFQPRbUCGUS3Lkxc-XDmOumEvz76A4EwnRNNWivaM32ZoSKQ2y6Q517jzI7yBYEU4G4ZdKpdeVhwADLlr13KR7Snlqw7o9Zg$">H.R. 4038</a>, the <b>Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act of 2025</b>, <i>introduced by U.S. Rep. Kim Young (R-Calif.)</i>, addresses the escalating forest health and wildfire crisis by creating a standardized, measurable response time for wildfire suppression, which will protect communities and advance President Trump’s EO 14308, “<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/empowering-commonsense-wildfire-prevention-and-response/__;!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!klXFQPRbUCGUS3Lkxc-XDmOumEvz76A4EwnRNNWivaM32ZoSKQ2y6Q517jzI7yBYEU4G4ZdKpdeVhwADLlr13KR7SnnEYWnt_A$">Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response</a>.”</p> <p><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4684?q=*7B*22search*22*3A*22hr*4684*22*7D&amp;s=2&amp;r=1__;JSUlJSUrJSU!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!klXFQPRbUCGUS3Lkxc-XDmOumEvz76A4EwnRNNWivaM32ZoSKQ2y6Q517jzI7yBYEU4G4ZdKpdeVhwADLlr13KR7SnmCVHZKpw$">H.R. 4684</a>, the <b>Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2025</b>, <i>introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah)</i>, restores a local patriotic tradition, in time for celebrating America’s 250^th anniversary, by allowing for the long-term placement of an American flag at a prominent summit in Utah.</p> <p><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6300?q=*7B*22search*22*3A*22hr*6300*22*7D&amp;s=3&amp;r=2__;JSUlJSUrJSU!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!klXFQPRbUCGUS3Lkxc-XDmOumEvz76A4EwnRNNWivaM32ZoSKQ2y6Q517jzI7yBYEU4G4ZdKpdeVhwADLlr13KR7SnkhFz32Qg$">H.R. 6300</a>, the <b>Grasslands Grazing Act of 2025</b>, <i>introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.)</i>, creates parity among federal grazing permittees, supporting rangeland health and rural Western economies.</p> <p><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/926/all-info__;!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!klXFQPRbUCGUS3Lkxc-XDmOumEvz76A4EwnRNNWivaM32ZoSKQ2y6Q517jzI7yBYEU4G4ZdKpdeVhwADLlr13KR7SnmM0ghbVg$">H.R. 926</a>, the <b>Fort Pillow National Battlefield Park Study Act</b>, <i>introduced by U.S. Rep Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.)</i>, directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate Fort Pillow in Tennessee.</p> <p><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3922?q=*7B*22search*22*3A*22hr*3922*22*7D&amp;s=7&amp;r=2__;JSUlJSUrJSU!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!klXFQPRbUCGUS3Lkxc-XDmOumEvz76A4EwnRNNWivaM32ZoSKQ2y6Q517jzI7yBYEU4G4ZdKpdeVhwADLlr13KR7Snm0NAsNCg$">H.R. 3922</a>, the <b>Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act</b>, <i>introduced by U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.)</i>, directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on wildfire mitigation efforts across federal and non-federal lands.</p> For more information on the hearing, click <a href="https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418545">here</a>.

<p>Today, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing about the implementation of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024. Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) issued the following statement in response:</p> <p><i>“The Compacts of Free Association are central to America’s strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. When we renewed these compacts in 2024, we made a commitment to the Freely Associated States and to our position in the region. Passage was only the first step. It is the role of Congress to ensure proper&nbsp;implementation of provisions ranging from establishing proper interagency coordination to delivering services to veterans. Today’s hearing assessed where those provisions currently stand and reinforced that the United States must keep its commitments to our allies in the region.”</i></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Background</strong></p> <p>The United States renewed its Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, collectively known as the Freely Associated States (FAS), in March 2024. The COFA agreements provide strategic advantages for the United States in the Indo-Pacific region. In return, the FAS receive economic assistance and defense guarantees.</p> <p>The Biden Administration significantly delayed COFA implementation, leaving several required actions unfinished. While progress is being made under the Trump administration, there is still more to do.&nbsp;</p> <p>The House Committee on Natural Resources is fulfilling its oversight responsibilities to ensure that the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024 is implemented as Congress intended. This includes the United States delivering on its commitments to the FAS, and the FAS ensuring transparency and accountability in how funds received from the U.S. government are spent. The COFA agreements put into action the United States’ commitments to our allies in the Indo-Pacific. Upholding our COFA commitments signals to the FAS, and the Indo-Pacific region as a whole, that the U.S. is a reliable and strong partner in ensuring the security and prosperity of the region.</p> For more information on the hearing, click <a href="https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418544">here</a>.

<p style="text-align: center;">On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 2:15 PM ET, the Subcommittee on Health will hold a legislative hearing on "<em>Discussion Draft: the “BEACON Act”; H.R.6444, the “Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act”; H.R.6526, the “Clarity on Care Options Act”; Discussion Draft: the “Data Driven Suicide Prevention Act”; H.R. 2283, the “RECOVER Act”; Discussion Draft: the “Health Desert Reform Act”; H.R. 2426, the “Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act”; H.R 6652: the “US Vets of the FAS Act”; H.R. 4509, the “NOPAIN for Veterans Act”; H.R. 5999, To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish an opioid antagonist to a veteran without requiring a prescription or copayment; H.R. 6001, the “Veterans with ALS Reporting Act”; Discussion Draft: the “Whole Health for Veterans Act."</em>&nbsp;The live stream can be found below.<br /> <br /> <br /> Relevant documents may be found <a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118808">here.</a><a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118028"><br /> </a><br /> </p> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118028"><br /> </a></div>

<p>On <b>Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. </b>in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold an oversight hearing titled<i> “Hunting and Fishing Access in the Great American Outdoors.”<br /> <br /> </i>The hearing notice, memo and witness testimony can be found on the committee’s repository&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118813">here</a>.</p>

Status: Scheduled

<p>Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior issued a Secretarial Order from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum expanding hunting and fishing access on public lands and waters. Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:</p> <p><i>“Hunting and fishing are cherished activities for millions of Americans, including myself. I’m glad to see Secretary Burgum and the Trump administration take action to expand recreational opportunities on our public lands for sportsmen and women to enjoy. House Committee on Natural Resources Republicans are committed to ensuring greater access to America’s public lands for Americans to enjoy while also ensuring responsible stewardship of our wildlife and resources for generations to come.”</i></p>

<p>Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held an oversight hearing on sportsmen and women’s access to and the maintenance of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Subcommittee Chair Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) issued the following statement in response:</p> <p><i>“<em>Hunting and fishing are a way of life for millions of Americans, these activities grow rural economies and protect outdoor heritage. Today, we examined ways to improve stewardship of our resources and promote access for responsible sportsmanship.</em>”</i></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Background</strong></p> <p>The National Wildlife Refuge System (System) is a network of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)-administered lands, submerged lands, and waters that provide habitat for fish and wildlife resources across the United States. These resources encompass nearly 900 million acres across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Hunting and fishing access is managed differently in each of these units. These activities generate billions of dollars in conservation funding each year.</p> <p>The System currently has a deferred maintenance backlog of approximately $2 billion. Partnering with non-federal entities by granting the Service additional authorities, such as expanded Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) and Stewardship Contract Authority, helps to improve conditions across the System. GNA enables states, counties, and tribes to assist with active forest management on Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management lands. Stewardship Contracting Authority allows non-federal partners to provide additional philanthropic and on-the-ground support.</p> <p>Additionally, on our nation’s water, fishing opportunities suffer from heavy-handed regulatory measures from the Biden administration. Inadequate data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Recreational Information Program has led to policies restricting fishing access in many parts of the country.</p> <p>The diverse ecosystems found on America’s federal land require better use of existing stewardship resources and new funding opportunities. The future of hunting and fishing, which generate thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in conservation and economic activity in rural communities, depends on the health of these ecosystems.</p> For more information on the hearing, click <a href="https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418541">here</a>.

<p>Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on a bill to codify the existing Rigs to Reef initiative, which allows oil and gas operators to decommission offshore energy infrastructure and convert it to artificial reefs. This helps to create critical fish habitat and supports marine ecosystems. Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) issued the following statement in response:</p> <p><i>“The Rigs to Reefs program has been a great success story, thanks in no small part to partnerships between domestic energy producers and federal and state regulators and conservation agencies. I commend Representative Ezell for his leadership on the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, which will strengthen this program, benefiting marine habitat and coastal communities for years to come. I look forward to working with Representative Ezell to advance this important legislation through the Natural Resources Committee.”</i></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Background</strong></p> <p><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5745__;!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!mWPBi_ivzJyWPTBW32JgIlhZ27D5Ctg0wGn2m616IeyrihgJiPixyZdIb4x5gbpVCqP-29dA9gIyEMo0r0jxaxJA2uuPhmyd-z4$">H.R. 5745</a>, the <strong>Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act</strong>, <i>introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell, (R-Miss.),</i> formalizes and builds upon the Rigs to Reef initiative, which allows energy producers to convert inactive offshore energy infrastructure into artificial reefs. It establishes clear procedures and timelines to ensure a reliable permitting process and authorizes the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), in coordination with relevant state agencies, to designate Reef Planning Areas. Finally, the bill directs BSEE to provide a map of each idle structure that supports an established reef ecosystem and an annual report detailing reefing applications and outcomes to Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of NOAA.</p> For more information on the hearing, click <a href="https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418540">here</a>.

<p>Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Biden administration’s withdrawal of 225,504 acres of land in the Superior National Forest from mineral exploration and development.</p> <p><i>“Northern Minnesota is blessed with vast resources that can help America secure our critical mineral supply chains, end reliance on foreign adversarial nations, and power our 21st-century economy. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration made the political decision to withdraw over 225,000 acres of mineral-rich lands from development, jeopardizing our mineral security and costing thousands of good-paying jobs. I would like to thank Representative Stauber for introducing this resolution to reverse this mining ban and unleash American mineral dominance,”</i> <strong>said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.).</strong></p> <p><em>“<em>Northern Minnesota's Iron Range mined the iron that won this nation two World Wars, and we have the opportunity to lead America's mineral security that will allow us to compete and win in the 21st&nbsp;Century. Reversing the Biden Administration's illegal mining ban will allow us to do just that. I'm proud to introduce H.J. Res. 140 to stand up for good-paying, union jobs, fight back against China and other foreign adversarial nations, and protect our way of life in Northern Minnesota,</em>”</em>&nbsp;<strong>said Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.).</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Background</strong></p> <p>The Duluth Complex in northern Minnesota is a world-class mineral deposit containing nearly 8 billion tons of critical minerals. If developed, this region could constitute 95 percent of America’s nickel reserves, 88 percent of America’s cobalt reserves, one-third of America’s copper reserves, and 75 percent of U.S. platinum-group resources.</p> <p>In January 2022, the Biden administration canceled two decades-old mineral leases held by &nbsp;Twin Metals Minnesota. Additionally, Public Land Order (<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2023-01/PLO*207917_Signed*20Notice_1.26.23.pdf__;JSU!!Fr0YZsIsFWxTZsBm-qTAg68!lALRXlrjUrK5wXwTq2RIfWtE_rhW9jhiOsL7En28VlMK7I_yU6pzPexSYnKGUWDS-OIPZbOsJ6fNby9BkEGnSxpgFsm3zkVAPg$">PLO 7917</a>), signed in January 2023 by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, withdrew about 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest headwaters from federal mineral leasing for 20 years.</p> <p>The Biden administration’s actions spurned years of environmental review, a pending Mine Plan of Operations, and myriad comments and letters from Members of Congress, mineral developers, locals, and union workers overwhelmingly supportive of the Twin Metals project.</p> <p>In accordance with the Congressional Review Act, the resolution introduced today will eliminate PLO 7917 and prevent any similar action in the future.</p> Read the full text of the resolution <a href="https://republicans-naturalresources.house.gov/UploadedFiles/STAUMN_033_xml.pdf">here</a>.

<p>Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the unveiling of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:</p> <i>“The federal government must do better at preparing for and responding to wildfires. I’d like to commend President Trump and Secretary Burgum for taking action today to strengthen intra-agency wildfire coordination within the Department of the Interior. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Fix Our Forests Act, which would give our federal land managers even more tools to promote forest health, protect communities&nbsp;and increase resiliency to catastrophic wildfires.”</i>

<p>On <b>Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. </b>in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold an oversight hearing titled<i> “Fix Our Forests for Affordable and Reliable Water and Power Supplies.”</i></p> The hearing notice, memo and witness testimony can be found on the committee’s repository <a href="https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=118799">here</a>.