The Mineral Extraction for Renewable Industry and Critical Applications Act would: ... List hardrock minerals in the same group with other minerals such as coal, phosphate, oil, gas, gilsonite, and sulfur, which are leasable deposits under the MLAAL.
List hardrock minerals as leasable deposits alongside coal, phosphate, oil, gas, gilsonite, and sulfur under the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands.
Occurrences
A bill to amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.
Evidence
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) issued a January 28, 2026 press release announcing he (with Senator Ted Cruz) introduced the 'MERICA' bill. The release states the bill would: make all federally acquired lands eligible for hardrock mineral leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (MLAAL), and explicitly list hardrock minerals alongside coal, phosphate, oil, gas, gilsonite, and sulfur as leasable deposits under MLAAL.
Congress.gov shows H.R.3872 (MERICA Act of 2025) — a House-sponsored bill to amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make it applicable to hardrock minerals — was passed by the House on December 15, 2025 and had a Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on February 12, 2026. The page summary explains the bill would specify federally acquired lands are eligible for hardrock mineral leasing and would define hardrock minerals and add them to the list of 'deposits subject to a lease.' No action on final passage or enactment is recorded through the latest action date.
Assessments
Senator Cotton took direct legislative action by introducing and championing the MERICA Act, which would have fulfilled the promise to list hardrock minerals as leasable deposits under the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands. The bill passed the House and was heard in a Senate committee, but did not become law by the latest available date. Despite a serious legislative attempt, the promised policy outcome was not delivered.