[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3537-S3538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6411. Mr. HEINRICH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1094. SEABED MINING.

       (a) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall, 
     subject to subsection (b)--
       (1) update section 581.13(a) of title 30, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, to ensure that the invitation of adjacent State 
     and Territory Governors described in that section for 
     activities described in that section is mandatory; and
       (2) promulgate new regulations to establish and maintain a 
     seabed mining leasing program substantially similar to the 
     oil and gas leasing program described in section 18 of the 
     Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344), subject 
     to the conditions that--
       (A) all references to State Governors and States in that 
     section shall include Territory Governors and Territories; 
     and
       (B) in the event of a significant natural or other 
     similarly impactful local disaster that would impact the 
     ability of a State or Territory government to participate to 
     the fullest extent possible in a leasing program comment 
     period--
       (i) the lease process shall be delayed at the request of 
     the affected State or Territory Governor; and
       (ii) the lease process may only recommence upon agreement 
     between the Secretary and the affected State or Territory 
     Governor.
       (b) Moratorium and Study on Seabed Mining.--
       (1) Temporary moratorium.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, beginning on the date of enactment of this 
     Act and ending on the date that the report described in 
     paragraph (2)(C) is submitted to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural 
     Resources of the House of Representatives, the Secretary 
     shall not review, issue, grant, or approve any new license, 
     permit, lease, or other instrument for the exploration, 
     commercial recovery, or mining of minerals in the exclusive 
     economic zone or the outer Continental Shelf pursuant to the 
     Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et 
     seq.) or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
     1331 et seq.).
       (2) Study.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into an 
     agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, 
     Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on seabed mining 
     for critical minerals.
       (B) Requirements.--The study described in subparagraph (A) 
     shall include--
       (i) an overview of the technological feasibility and 
     economic potential of extracting seabed minerals;
       (ii) identification of information needed to establish 
     baselines in habitats found at proposed mining sites and 
     surrounding areas; and
       (iii) the potential social, cultural, environmental, and 
     economic impacts of seabed mining, including cumulative 
     effects and possible methods to mitigate negative impacts.
       (C) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
     the Secretary enters into an agreement with the National 
     Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives a report that includes the findings of the 
     study described in that subparagraph.

[[Page S3538]]

  

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