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

House Passes H.R. 7006, Strengthening National Security, Protecting Economic Growth, and Restoring Regular Order

<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>